scholarly journals Extending rituximab dosing intervals in patients with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. e825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adil Maarouf ◽  
Audrey Rico ◽  
Clemence Boutiere ◽  
Marine Perriguey ◽  
Sarah Demortiere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Activity ◽  
Median Time ◽  
Dosing Interval ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Edss Score ◽  
Dosing Intervals

ObjectiveTo evaluate disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) receiving rituximab with an extended dosing interval.MethodsIn the context of COVID-19 pandemic, this was an interim analysis of an ongoing prospective observational study of patients who were stable on rituximab for at least 6 months and who had a planned extended dosing interval of 24 months. Only data for patients with active RRMS before rituximab were analyzed.ResultsAmong 177 patients receiving rituximab, 33 had RRMS and MRI activity before rituximab and at least 8 months of follow-up after the last infusion. The mean (SD) age was 40 (14) years, 25 were females, the mean disease duration was 10 (6.8) years, the mean annual relapse rate (ARR) before rituximab was 1.7 (1.3), and the median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score before rituximab was 4.5 (1–7). Before extended dosing, when rituximab was infused every 6 months, the mean (SD) ARR decreased to 0.04 (0.1) (p < 0.0001) and the EDSS score to 4 (0–7) (p = 0.04). At the time of this analysis, the median follow-up since the last infusion was 11 (8–31) months. No patient showed relapse or disability progression. In total, 30 patients had at least 1 MRI performed since the last infusion (median time between the last MRI and the last infusion 10 [8–31] months). No MRI showed activity. The CD19+ cell proportion was >1% for 10 of 25 patients at the last count (median time 8 [6–25] months).ConclusionsAn extended dosing interval for rituximab for patients with stable MS during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with a low risk of disease activity.

scholarly journals A Pilot Study of 24-h Motor Activity Patterns in Multiple Sclerosis: Pre-Planned Follow-Up at 2 Years

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 366-376
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Tonetti ◽  
Federico Camilli ◽  
Sara Giovagnoli ◽  
Vincenzo Natale ◽  
Alessandra Lugaresi
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Motor Activity ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Expanded Disability Status Scale ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Edss Score ◽  
Activity Prognosis

Early multiple sclerosis (MS) predictive markers of disease activity/prognosis have been proposed but are not universally accepted. Aim of this pilot prospective study is to verify whether a peculiar hyperactivity, observed at baseline (T0) in early relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients, could represent a further prognostic marker. Here we report results collected at T0 and at a 24-month follow-up (T1). Eighteen RRMS patients (11 females, median Expanded Disability Status Scale-EDSS score 1.25, range EDSS score 0–2) were monitored at T0 (mean age 32.33 ± 7.51) and T1 (median EDSS score 1.5, range EDSS score 0–2.5). Patients were grouped into two groups: responders (R, 14 patients) and non-responders (NR, 4 patients) to treatment at T1. Each patient wore an actigraph for one week to record the 24-h motor activity pattern. At T0, NR presented significantly lower motor activity than R between around 9:00 and 13:00. At T1, NR were characterized by significantly lower motor activity than R between around 12:00 and 17:00. Overall, these data suggest that through the 24-h motor activity pattern, we can fairly segregate at T0 patients who will show a therapeutic failure, possibly related to a more active disease, at T1. These patients are characterized by a reduced morning level of motor activation. Further studies on larger populations are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Prospective study of multiple sclerosis with early onset

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Ghezzi ◽  
C Pozzilli ◽  
M Liguori ◽  
M G Marrosu ◽  
N Milani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
First Year ◽  
Hormonal Changes ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Definite Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Clinically Definite Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
The Mean ◽  
And Gender

Fifty-four subjects (36 females and 18 males) affected by clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) and with onset of the disease at 15 years of age or before were prospectively studied in five Italian MS centres. Female/male ratio was 4.7 in subjects with age ≥12 years, suggesting a role of hormonal changes in triggering MS onset. The mean follow-up duration was 10.9-5.6 years. The functional systems more frequently involved at onset were the pyramidal and brainstem (both in 28% of cases). The onset was monosymptomatic in 31 subjects (57%). The course was relapsing-remitting in 39 subjects (72%) and relapsing-progressive in 15 (28%). Disability was assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS): the mean score after 8 years of follow up was 3.5 (-2.5). The score was <4 in 68% of cases, between 4 and 6 in 8% of cases, > 6 in 24% of cases. Disability after 8 years was highly predicted by disability in the first year (p=0.008). There was a tendency to a worse prognosis in relation to the number of relapses in the first 2 years (p=0.08). The outcome was not influenced by the characteristics of symptoms at onset, age and gender.

scholarly journals Reducing return of disease activity in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis transitioned from natalizumab to teriflunomide: 12-month interim results of teriflunomide therapy

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 205521731882461
Author(s):  
Stanley L Cohan ◽  
Keith Edwards ◽  
Lindsay Lucas ◽  
Tiffany Gervasi-Follmar ◽  
Judy O’Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
T2 Lesions ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

Background Natalizumab is an effective treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis. Return of disease activity upon natalizumab discontinuance creates the need for follow-up therapeutic strategies. Objective To assess the efficacy of teriflunomide following natalizumab discontinuance in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients. Methods Clinically stable relapsing multiple sclerosis patients completing 12 or more consecutive months of natalizumab, testing positive for anti-John Cunningham virus antibody, started teriflunomide 14 mg/day, 28 ± 7 days after their final natalizumab infusion. Physical examination, Expanded Disability Status Scale, laboratory assessments, and brain magnetic resonance imaging were performed at screening and multiple follow-up visits. Results Fifty-five patients were enrolled in the study. The proportion of patients relapse-free was 0.94, restricted mean time to first gadolinium-enhancing lesion was 10.9 months and time to 3-month sustained disability worsening was 11.8 months. The mean number of new or enlarging T2 lesions per patient at 12 months was 0.42. Exploratory analyses revealed an annualized relapse rate of 0.08, and a proportion of patients with no evidence of disease activity of 0.68. Forty-seven patients (85.5%) reported adverse events, 95% of which were mild to moderate. Conclusions Teriflunomide therapy initiated without natalizumab washout resulted in a low rate of return of disease activity. Clinicians may consider this a worthwhile strategy when transitioning clinically stable patients off natalizumab to another therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01970410

Clinical follow-up of 304 patients with multiple sclerosis three years after mitoxantrone treatment

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 626-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Debouverie ◽  
L. Taillandier ◽  
S. Pittion-Vouyovitch ◽  
S. Louis ◽  
H. Vespignani
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Interferon Beta ◽  
Progressive Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Expanded Disability Status Scale ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Disease Modifying Treatment

The objectives of this study were to assess the benefits of 1) mitoxantrone after three years of follow-up and 2) disease-modifying treatment (DMT) after stopping mitoxantrone. A retrospective analysis was performed on 304 patients with active relapsing-remitting (RR) or progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) who were treated with mitoxantrone. After mitoxantrone therapy, some patients received DMT (interferon-beta or glatiramer acetate) while others did not. The disease course of the two groups was evaluated by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) before and after mitoxantrone and then every year for three years. The mean EDSS score at starting mitoxantrone and three years after stopping mitoxantrone respectively, were: 3.3 (1.3) and 3.2 (1.7) for the RRMS patients and 5.9 (1.2) and 6.4 (1.4) for the PMS patients. Before starting mitoxantrone, demographic and clinical parameters of predictive disability were not significantly different between patients who received DMT or not. The variation of EDSS between time of stopping mitoxantrone and three years later was significantly different (+0.9 versus +0.3; P=0.03) for patients with RRMS. We found that mitoxantrone treatment induces stable disease up to two years after discontinuation of mitoxantrone therapy. In the third year, patients without DMT deteriorated. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 626-631. http://msj.sagepub.com

Natalizumab discontinuation in patients with multiple sclerosis: Profiling risk and benefits at therapeutic crossroads

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 1713-1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Prosperini ◽  
Pietro Annovazzi ◽  
Marco Capobianco ◽  
Ruggero Capra ◽  
Fabio Buttari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy ◽  
Median Time ◽  
Expanded Disability Status Scale ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Edss Score ◽  
Natalizumab Discontinuation

Objective: The objective of this paper is to estimate the risk of reaching well-established disability milestones after withdrawal of natalizumab (NTZ) due to concern about the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Data from 415 patients with MS followed-up for six years after starting NTZ were collected from seven tertiary MS centers. The risk of disability worsening, i.e. reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of 4.0 or 6.0, and the likelihood of experiencing a disability reduction of one EDSS point (or more), were assessed by propensity score-adjusted analyses in patients who discontinued and in those still on treatment at the end of follow-up. Results: A total of 318 patients who received standard NTZ treatment without experiencing evidence of disability worsening in the first two years were included in the six-year follow-up analysis, with 196 (61.6%) still on treatment and 122 (38.4%) discontinuing after a median time of 3.5 years. Patients in the discontinuing group had a more than two-fold increased risk of disability worsening ( p = 0.007), and a 68% decreased likelihood of experiencing disability reduction ( p = 0.009) compared with the continuing group. Conclusion: While discussing the overall risk/benefit profile of NTZ, patients should be advised that, in case of treatment discontinuation, the risk of disability worsening is one in three, and increases to one in two if the EDSS score at NTZ start is above 3.0.

scholarly journals Long-term efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab in patients with RRMS: 12-year follow-up of CAMMS223

2020 ◽  
Vol 267 (11) ◽  
pp. 3343-3353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Steingo ◽  
◽  
Yaser Al Malik ◽  
Ann D. Bass ◽  
Regina Berkovich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Activity ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Treatment Naïve

Abstract Background In the phase 2 CAMMS223 trial (NCT00050778), alemtuzumab significantly improved clinical and MRI outcomes versus subcutaneous interferon beta-1a over 3 years in treatment-naive patients with relapsing–remitting MS. Here, we assess efficacy and safety of alemtuzumab over 12 years in CAMMS223 patients who enrolled in the CAMMS03409 extension (NCT00930553), with available follow-up through the subsequent TOPAZ extension (NCT02255656). Methods In CAMMS223, patients received 2 alemtuzumab courses (12 mg/day; baseline: 5 days; 12 months later: 3 days); 22% received a third course. In the open-label, nonrandomized extensions, patients could receive as-needed additional alemtuzumab or other disease-modifying therapies. Results Of 108 alemtuzumab-treated patients in CAMMS223, 60 entered the CAMMS03409 extension; 33% received a total of 2 alemtuzumab courses, and 73% received no more than 3 courses through Year 12. Over 12 years, annualized relapse rate was 0.09, 71% of patients had stable or improved Expanded Disability Status Scale scores, and 69% were free of 6-month confirmed disability worsening. In Year 12, 73% of patients were free of MRI disease activity. Cumulatively throughout the extensions (Years 7–12), 34% of patients had no evidence of disease activity. Adverse event (AE) incidence declined through Year 12. Infusion-associated reactions peaked at first course and declined thereafter. Cumulative thyroid AE incidence was 50%; one immune thrombocytopenia event occurred, and there were no autoimmune nephropathy cases. Conclusions Alemtuzumab efficacy was maintained over 12 years in CAMMS223 patients, with 73% receiving no more than three courses. The safety profile in this cohort was consistent with other alemtuzumab clinical trials.

scholarly journals Disease activity following pregnancy-related discontinuation of natalizumab in MS

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Kleerekooper ◽  
Zoé L.E. van Kempen ◽  
Cyra E. Leurs ◽  
Iris Dekker ◽  
Theo Rispens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Median Time ◽  
Retrospective Cohort Study ◽  
Retrospective Cohort ◽  
Disability Progression ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
Reduced Risk

Objective:To investigate disease activity and disability progression following pregnancy-related discontinuation of natalizumab (NTZ) in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of clinical and radiologic data in patients who discontinued NTZ for pregnancy-related reasons.Results:Twenty-two pregnancy-related NTZ discontinuations in 17 patients were evaluated. The median time to conception was 3.4 months. Relapses were more frequent in patients in whom conception did not occur within 6 months (p = 0.022). Confirmed disability progression occurred in 27.3% and was associated with time to conception (p < 0.001).Conclusions:Early conception after NTZ discontinuation is associated with a reduced risk of disease activity and disability progression. Continuation of NTZ treatment until confirmed pregnancy should be considered in patients with previously active MS. However, the advantages of continuing the drug until pregnancy should be balanced against the uncertainties in postnatal outcomes.

scholarly journals Population-based study of “no evident disease activity” in MS

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. e495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie E. Parks ◽  
Sean J. Pittock ◽  
Jay Mandrekar ◽  
Orhun H. Kantarci ◽  
Claudia F. Lucchinetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Activity ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Routine Care ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapy ◽  
Care Assessment ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Incident Cases

ObjectiveTo determine the persistence of no evident disease activity (NEDA) in a population-based relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) cohort.MethodsAll incident cases of RRMS in Olmsted County between 2000 and 2011 were identified using a medical records linkage system. Persistence of NEDA after RRMS diagnosis was determined by retrospective chart review. MRI activity, relapse, or Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) worsening resulted in failure of NEDA.ResultsWe identified 93 incident cases of RRMS including 82 individuals with sufficient follow-up to determine the persistence of NEDA. There were 44 individuals not on disease-modifying therapy (DMT), whereas 37 individuals were prescribed an injectable DMT and 1 received mitoxantrone during the interval over which NEDA was maintained. NEDA was maintained by 63% at 1 year, 38% at 2 years, 19% at 5 years, and 12% at 10 years according to routine care assessment. At 10 years, there was no difference in EDSS disability among patients who maintained NEDA vs those who failed NEDA at 1 year (p = 0.3).ConclusionsNEDA infrequently persists beyond 2 years in a population-based cohort of newly diagnosed patients with RRMS.

Measures in the first year of therapy predict the response to interferon β in MS

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 848-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Río ◽  
J Castilló ◽  
A Rovira ◽  
M Tintoré ◽  
J Sastre-Garriga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Activity ◽  
Logistic Model ◽  
First Year ◽  
Interferon Β ◽  
Clinical Predictors ◽  
Predictors Of Response ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Background and objective Several criteria for treatment response to interferon beta (IFNβ) have been proposed, although there is no consensus among different investigators. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical predictors of response during the first 12 months of therapy. Methods This is a prospective and longitudinal study of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients treated with IFNβ. Patients were classified based on the presence of new lesions on MRI, relapses, confirmed disability increase, or combinations of all these variables after 1 year of therapy. Regression analysis was performed in order to identify variables of response after a follow-up of 3 years. Results We included 222 RRMS patients. The logistic model demonstrated that only the combination of new active lesions on MRI with the presence of relapses (OR 4.4; 95% CI 1.6–12.5) or disability progression (Odds Ratio (OR) 7.1; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.6–33.9), or both (OR 6.5; 95% CI 1.9–23.4) achieved significant values to identify those patients with a poor outcome. Conclusions In RRMS patients treated with IFNβ, the combination of measures of disease activity and the presence of new active lesions on MRI may have a prognostic value for identifying patients with disease activity in the second and third year of therapy.

Effect of lateral therapy switches to oral moderate-efficacy drugs in multiple sclerosis: a nationwide cohort study

2021 ◽  
pp. jnnp-2020-324869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Due Buron ◽  
Tomas Kalincik ◽  
Finn Sellebjerg ◽  
Per Soelberg Sørensen ◽  
Melinda Magyari
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Dimethyl Fumarate ◽  
Interferon Β ◽  
First Line ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Disability Status ◽  
Relapsing Remitting ◽  
Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

BackgroundSwitching between first-line disease-modifying therapies in patients with clinically stable relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) due to reasons other than disease activity is frequent, but evidence on the effect of this practice is limited. We investigated the effect of switching patients with stable RRMS on occurrences of disability accumulation, relapses and future treatment discontinuation.MethodsUsing the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, we identified patients with RRMS without disease activity who either (1) stayed on injectable platform therapy (interferon-β or glatiramer acetate) or (2) switched to dimethyl fumarate (DMF) or teriflunomide (TFL) and compared treatment outcomes using propensity-score-based methods and marginal structural models (MSM).ResultsWe included 3206 patients in the study. We found no change in risk of 6-month confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale score worsening in patients switching to DMF (HR: 1.15, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.50) or TFL (HR: 1.16, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.46). The risk of suffering any relapse tended to decrease when switching to DMF (HR: 0.73, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.04) and tended to increase when switching to TFL (HR: 1.25, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.63). Absolute risk differences were small. MSM analyses showed similar results but did not find an increased relapse risk in TFL switchers.ConclusionSwitching from injectable platform therapies to oral first-line therapies in patients with clinically stable RRMS does not increase the risk of disability accumulation. While the postswitch risk of relapses trended towards marginally higher on TFL, this trend was eliminated by adjustment for time-variant confounders.

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