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Olejnik P, Roszkowska Z, Adamus S, Kasarełło K. Multiple sclerosis: a narrative overview of current pharmacotherapies and emerging treatment prospects. Pharmacol Rep 2024; 76:926-943. [PMID: 39177889 PMCID: PMC11387431 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-024-00642-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by pathological processes of demyelination, subsequent axonal loss, and neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Despite the availability of numerous disease-modifying therapies that effectively manage this condition, there is an emerging need to identify novel therapeutic targets, particularly for progressive forms of MS. Based on contemporary insights into disease pathophysiology, ongoing efforts are directed toward developing innovative treatment modalities. Primarily, monoclonal antibodies have been extensively investigated for their efficacy in influencing specific pathological pathways not yet targeted. Emerging approaches emphasizing cellular mechanisms, such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy targeting immunological cells, are attracting increasing interest. The evolving understanding of microglia and the involvement of ferroptotic mechanisms in MS pathogenesis presents further avenues for targeted therapies. Moreover, innovative treatment strategies extend beyond conventional approaches to encompass interventions that target alterations in microbiota composition and dietary modifications. These adjunctive therapies hold promise as complementary methods for the holistic management of MS. This narrative review aims to summarize current therapies and outline potential treatment methods for individuals with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Olejnik
- Chair and Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zuzanna Roszkowska
- Chair and Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sylwia Adamus
- Chair and Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Biomedical Physics Division, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kaja Kasarełło
- Chair and Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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Ocampo A, Hatami F, Čuklina J, Graham G, Ganjgahi H, Sun Y, Su W, Mousseau MC, Gardiner S, Pendleton SC, Aarden P, Kieseier BC, Arnold DL, Bermel RA, Häring DA, Nichols TE, Wiendl H. Prognostic factors for worsening and improvement in multiple sclerosis using a multistate model. Mult Scler 2024:13524585241275471. [PMID: 39340359 DOI: 10.1177/13524585241275471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The long-term disease trajectory of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be improved by initiating efficacious treatment early. More quantitative evidence is needed on factors that affect a patient's risk of disability worsening or possibility of improvement to inform timely treatment decisions. METHODS We developed a multistate model to quantify the influence of demographic, clinical, and imaging factors on disability worsening and disability improvement simultaneously across the disability spectrum as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). We used clinical trial data from the Novartis-Oxford MS database including ~130,000 EDSS assessments from ~8000 patients, spanning all MS phenotypes. RESULTS Higher brain volume was positively associated with disability improvement at all disability levels (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.09-1.19; 95% credible interval (CI) = 1.02-1.27). Higher T2 lesion volume was negatively associated with disability improvement up to EDSS 6 (HR = 0.80-0.89; 95% CI = 0.75-0.94). Older age, time since first symptoms, and the number of relapses in the past year were confirmed as predictors of future disability worsening. CONCLUSIONS Brain damage was identified as the most consistent factor limiting the patient's probability for improvements from the earliest stages and across the whole course of MS. Protecting brain integrity early in MS should have greater weight in clinical decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Farhad Hatami
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Habib Ganjgahi
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yang Sun
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Wendy Su
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals, East Hanover, NJ, USA
| | | | - Stephen Gardiner
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Samantha C Pendleton
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Douglas L Arnold
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert A Bermel
- Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Thomas E Nichols
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Heinz Wiendl
- Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Li J, Hutton GJ, Varisco TJ, Lin Y, Essien EJ, Aparasu RR. Factors associated with the initiation of high-efficacy disease-modifying agents over moderate-efficacy disease-modifying agents in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 91:105896. [PMID: 39342811 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 09/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With multiple treatment options, choosing the initial disease-modifying agent (DMA) could be crucial to managing multiple sclerosis (MS). Common treatment strategies recommend starting patients with moderate-efficacy disease-modifying agents (meDMAs), while others advocate initiating high-efficacy disease-modifying agents (heDMAs). However, limited real-world evidence exists regarding the factors associated with utilizing differing treatment strategies in the MS. OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the factors associated with the initiation of heDMAs in comparison to meDMAs among patients with MS. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Merative MarketScan Commercial Claims Database. Adult (18-64 years) MS patients with ≥1 DMA prescription were identified from 2016 to 2019. Patients were classified as incident heDMA or meDMA users based on their earliest DMA prescription, with a 12-month washout period. All covariates were measured during the 12-month baseline before the index DMA date. A multivariable logistic regression model, guided by the Andersen Behavioral Model, was applied to examine the predisposing, enabling, and need factors associated with using heDMAs over meDMAs. RESULTS There were 10,003 eligible MS patients, with the majority of users being female (74.92 %), middle-aged adults (35-54 years, 58.97 %), and enrolled in the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO, 53.10 %) healthcare plan. Overall, 2293 (22.92 %) MS patients initiated heDMAs. The multivariable logistic regression model revealed that male patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.46, 95 % Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.30-1.64) had higher odds of initiating heDMAs. Meanwhile, patients with bladder dysfunction medications (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.21-1.61), fatigue medications (aOR: 1.77, 95 %CI: 1.44-2.17), and impaired walking (aOR: 1.62, 95 %CI: 1.42-1.86) were more likely to initiate treatment with heDMAs. In contrast, patients with higher Elixhauser comorbidities scores, sensory symptoms (aOR: 0.47, 95 %CI: 0.42-0.53), visual symptoms (aOR: 0.63, 95 %CI: 0.54-0.73), and brainstem symptoms (aOR: 0.81, 95 %CI: 0.67-0.97) were less likely to be prescribed with heDMAs. CONCLUSION The study found that approximately one in four MS patients initiated heDMAs. Both demographic and clinical factors influenced the selection of heDMA. More work is needed to understand the differential value of selecting heDMAs over meDMAs for personalizing DMA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieni Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Tyler J Varisco
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, TX, USA; Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ying Lin
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ekere J Essien
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rajender R Aparasu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, TX, USA.
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Woodfin S, Hall S, Ramerth A, Chapple B, Fausnacht D, Moore W, Alkhalidy H, Liu D. Potential Application of Plant-Derived Compounds in Multiple Sclerosis Management. Nutrients 2024; 16:2996. [PMID: 39275311 PMCID: PMC11397714 DOI: 10.3390/nu16172996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and neurodegeneration, resulting in significant disability and reduced quality of life. Current therapeutic strategies primarily target immune dysregulation, but limitations in efficacy and tolerability highlight the need for alternative treatments. Plant-derived compounds, including alkaloids, phenylpropanoids, and terpenoids, have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in both preclinical and clinical studies. By modulating immune responses and promoting neuroregeneration, these compounds offer potential as novel adjunctive therapies for MS. This review provides insights into the molecular and cellular basis of MS pathogenesis, emphasizing the role of inflammation in disease progression. It critically evaluates emerging evidence supporting the use of plant-derived compounds to attenuate inflammation and MS symptomology. In addition, we provide a comprehensive source of information detailing the known mechanisms of action and assessing the clinical potential of plant-derived compounds in the context of MS pathogenesis, with a focus on their anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Woodfin
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Sierra Hall
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Alexis Ramerth
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Brooke Chapple
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Dane Fausnacht
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Agriculture, Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA 24088, USA
| | - William Moore
- Department of Biology and Chemistry, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA 24515, USA
| | - Hana Alkhalidy
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan
| | - Dongmin Liu
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Singer BA, Morgan D, Stamm JA, Williams AA. Patient and Physician Perspectives of Treatment Burden in Multiple Sclerosis. Neurol Ther 2024:10.1007/s40120-024-00654-1. [PMID: 39230830 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-024-00654-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The number of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) has greatly increased in recent decades, leading to higher treatment complexity. DMTs can differ in mode and frequency of administration, benefit-risk profile, and associated costs. Patients with MS contend not only with the burden of their chronic disease but also with the treatment burden of their MS therapy. Adhering to dosing schedules and infusion appointments can be difficult for busy, working-age patients or those with limited access to transportation. Patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) may have differing priorities, concerns, and preferences when selecting treatment, potentially affecting treatment satisfaction and, importantly, adherence. Additionally, patients face direct and indirect costs related to treatment. These factors can all contribute to a high treatment burden on patients, impacting their quality of life and potentially leading to worse patient outcomes. HCPs, patients, and caregivers must work together to alleviate treatment burden through effective communication, shared decision-making, appreciating each other's perspectives, and additional HCP support. Consideration of treatment burden into clinical guidelines is also warranted. In this review, we examine key factors impacting treatment burden for patients with MS, with a focus on the patient perspective as provided by our patient authors, and provide strategies to minimize treatment burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry A Singer
- The MS Center for Innovations in Care, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, 63131, USA.
| | - Dawn Morgan
- Patient Author: MS patient advocate, author, speaker, founder of Unquiet Minds Move Nonprofit, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Julie A Stamm
- Patient Author: MS patient advocate, author, educator, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Anita A Williams
- Patient Author: MS patient advocate, author, co-founder of MS Minority Research Engagement Partnership Network, RIDE Council steering committee member, Aurora, CO, USA
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Brufau-Cochs M, Mansilla-Polo M, Morgado-Carrasco D. [Translated article] Risk of Skin Cancer Associated with Disease-Modifying Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis: A Comprehensive Evidence Review. ACTAS DERMO-SIFILIOGRAFICAS 2024; 115:T781-T790. [PMID: 38972584 DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2024.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of disease-modifying therapies (DMT) has led to a paradigm shift in the management of multiple sclerosis. A comprehensive narrative review was conducted through an extensive literature search including Medline and Google Scholar to elucidate the link between DMT and the propensity of cutaneous malignancies. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators, such as fingolimod and siponimod are associated with a higher risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), but not squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma. The associated physiopathological mechanisms are not fully understood. Alemtuzumab and cladribine show isolated associations with skin cancer. Regarding other DMT, no increased risk has ever been found. Given the evidence currently available, it is of paramount importance to advocate for necessary dermatological assessments that should be individualized to the risk profile of each patient. Nonetheless, additional prospective studies are still needed to establish efficient dermatological follow-up protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Brufau-Cochs
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Mansilla-Polo
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS) La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - D Morgado-Carrasco
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital de Figueres, Fundació Salut Empordá, Figueres, Girona, Spain.
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7
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Brufau-Cochs M, Mansilla-Polo M, Morgado-Carrasco D. Risk of skin cancer associated with disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis: a comprehensive evidence review. ACTAS DERMO-SIFILIOGRAFICAS 2024; 115:781-790. [PMID: 38307166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2024.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of disease-modifying therapies (DMT) has led to a paradigm shift in the management of multiple sclerosis. A comprehensive narrative review was conducted through an extensive literature search including Medline and Google Scholar to elucidate the link between DMT and the propensity of cutaneous malignancies. Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators, such as fingolimod and siponimod are associated with a higher risk of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), but not squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma. The associated physiopathological mechanisms are not fully understood. Alemtuzumab and cladribine show isolated associations with skin cancer. Regarding other DMT, no increased risk has ever been found. Given the evidence currently available, it is of paramount importance to advocate for necessary dermatological assessments that should be individualized to the risk profile of each patient. Nonetheless, additional prospective studies are still needed to establish efficient dermatological follow-up protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Brufau-Cochs
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España
| | - M Mansilla-Polo
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, España; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS) La Fe, Valencia, España
| | - D Morgado-Carrasco
- Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España; Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital de Figueres, Fundació Salut Empordá, Figueres, Girona, España.
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Etemadifar M, Nouri H, Sedaghat N, Ramezani A, Kargaran PK, Salari M, Kaveyee H. Anti-CD20 therapies for pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis: A systematic review. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 91:105849. [PMID: 39243503 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) cases, defined as multiple sclerosis (MS) with onset before the age of 18, represent between 3 and 5 % of all MS patients. Anti-CD20 drugs mainly rituximab, ocrelizumab, and ofatumumab are being widely used in adult-onset MS. Their use in POMS is also being increasingly considered by experts. OBJECTIVE to review the latest evidence on safety and efficacy of the use of anti-CD20 therapies in POMS. METHODS An extensive search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases until the end of July 1st, 2024. Two independent reviewers screened the articles, and collected data. 832 studies were screened using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS 12 studies on rituximab (328 patients) and 6 studies on ocrelizumab (106 patients) were synthesized. Using monoclonal antibodies in POMS patients has a noteworthy effect on reducing relapses and lesions and achieving no evidence of disease activity especially in highly active POMS patients. However, anti-CD20 therapies in MS are associated with potential adverse events (AEs). Additional data is required on the effect of anti-CD20 therapy on disability accrual. CONCLUSION Although anti-CD20 therapy is associated with some AEs, it can be provided in several circumstances, especially to patients with highly active disease, or ones resistant to platform therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Etemadifar
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hosein Nouri
- School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy, and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Isfahan, Iran
| | - Nahad Sedaghat
- School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy, and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Isfahan, Iran
| | - Aryana Ramezani
- School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Parisa K Kargaran
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mehri Salari
- Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Kaveyee
- School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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Praet J, Anderhalten L, Comi G, Horakova D, Ziemssen T, Vermersch P, Lukas C, van Leemput K, Steppe M, Aguilera C, Kadas EM, Bertrand A, van Rampelbergh J, de Boer E, Zingler V, Smeets D, Ribbens A, Paul F. A future of AI-driven personalized care for people with multiple sclerosis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1446748. [PMID: 39224590 PMCID: PMC11366570 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1446748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system resulting in progressive disability accumulation. As there is no cure available yet for MS, the primary therapeutic objective is to reduce relapses and to slow down disability progression as early as possible during the disease to maintain and/or improve health-related quality of life. However, optimizing treatment for people with MS (pwMS) is complex and challenging due to the many factors involved and in particular, the high degree of clinical and sub-clinical heterogeneity in disease progression among pwMS. In this paper, we discuss these many different challenges complicating treatment optimization for pwMS as well as how a shift towards a more pro-active, data-driven and personalized medicine approach could potentially improve patient outcomes for pwMS. We describe how the 'Clinical Impact through AI-assisted MS Care' (CLAIMS) project serves as a recent example of how to realize such a shift towards personalized treatment optimization for pwMS through the development of a platform that offers a holistic view of all relevant patient data and biomarkers, and then using this data to enable AI-supported prognostic modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lina Anderhalten
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Giancarlo Comi
- Department of Neurorehabilitative Sciences, Casa di Cura Igea, Italy
- Department of Neurology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University-Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Dana Horakova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Patrick Vermersch
- Univ. Lille, InsermU1172 LilNCog, CHU Lille, FHU Precise, Lille, France
| | - Carsten Lukas
- Institute of Neuroradiology, St. Josef Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Koen van Leemput
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Erik de Boer
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Corp, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Vera Zingler
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Product Development Medical Affairs, Neuroscience, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), A Cooperation Between the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
- Neuroscience Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Geßner A, Hartmann M, Vágó A, Trentzsch K, Schriefer D, Mehrholz J, Ziemssen T. Sensitive Identification of Asymmetries and Neuromuscular Deficits in Lower Limb Function in Early Multiple Sclerosis. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2024; 38:570-581. [PMID: 38613335 PMCID: PMC11308279 DOI: 10.1177/15459683241245964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), there are no objective sensitive functional assessments to identify and quantify early subclinical neuromuscular deficits and lower limb strength asymmetries during complex movements. Single-countermovement jumps (SLCMJ), a maximum single leg vertical jump, on a force plate allow functional evaluation of unilateral lower limb performance in performance diagnostics and could therefore provide early results on asymmetries in MS. OBJECTIVE Objective evaluation of early lower limb neuromuscular deficits and asymmetries in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) using SLCMJ on a force plate. METHODS A study was conducted with pwMS (N = 126) and healthy controls (N = 97). All participants performed 3 maximal SLCMJs on a force plate. Temporal, kinetic, and power jump parameters were collected. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was performed on all participants. A repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age, Body-Mass-Index, and gender as covariates was used. RESULTS PwMS with normal muscle strength according to the manual muscle tests showed significantly reduced SLCMJ performance compared to HC. In both groups, jumping performance differed significantly between the dominant and non-dominant leg, with higher effect size for pwMS. A significant interaction effect between leg dominance and group was found for propulsive time, where the pwMS showed an even higher difference between the dominant and non-dominant leg compared to HC. Furthermore, there was a significant small correlation between leg asymmetries and EDSS in pwMS. CONCLUSION The study shows that the SLCMJ on a force plate is suitable for the early detection of subclinical lower limb neuromuscular deficits and strength asymmetries in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Geßner
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maximilian Hartmann
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anikó Vágó
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Trentzsch
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dirk Schriefer
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Mehrholz
- SRH University of Applied Sciences, Gera, Germany
- Public Health, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Lapucci C, Frau J, Cocco E, Coghe G, Petracca M, Lanzillo R, Brescia Morra V, Nicoletti CG, Landi D, Marfia G, Vercellino M, Cavalla P, Bianco A, Mirabella M, Torri Clerici V, Tomas E, Ferrò MT, Grossi P, Nozzolillo A, Moiola L, Zaffaroni M, Ronzoni M, Pinardi F, Novi G, Cellerino M, Uccelli A, Inglese M. Ocrelizumab in MS patients with persistence of disease activity after alemtuzumab: A multi-center Italian study. Mult Scler 2024; 30:1151-1162. [PMID: 39143825 DOI: 10.1177/13524585241266509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The reason why some multiple sclerosis (MS) patients show disease activity after alemtuzumab (ALM) is still unclear, but ocrelizumab (OCR) could represent an interesting sequential therapeutic approach. OBJECTIVES To investigate safety and efficacy of OCR in MS patients with disease activity after two ALM courses. METHODS Observational retrospective multi-centers Italian cohort study. RESULTS Seventy-two subjects were included. Mean follow-up (FU) was 2.4 (±1) years. Forty-five patients (62.5%) experienced at least one adverse event (AE), with infections accounting for 96.7% of cases. A reduction in total lymphocytes was observed between OCR start and 6 months FU, driven by BCD19+ lymphocytes depletion (p < 0.001). Immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels decreased between OCR start and 6 months FU (p < 0.001). At 2-year FU, relapse, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity and disability worsening-free survival were 92.1%, 90.8%, and 89.2%. The evidence of inflammatory activity between the two ALM courses was associated with higher risk of relapse, MRI activity, and NEDA-3 status loss in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS; p = 0.02, p = 0.05, p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS OCR after two ALM courses seemed to be safe and effective. Early IgM hypogammaglobulinemia occurred in a high proportion of patients. The evidence of inflammatory activity between ALM courses seemed to increase the risk of MS re-activation on OCR treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica Frau
- Centro regionale per la diagnosi e la cura della Sclerosi Multipla, ASL Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cocco
- Centro regionale per la diagnosi e la cura della Sclerosi Multipla, ASL Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Università degli studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Coghe
- Centro regionale per la diagnosi e la cura della Sclerosi Multipla, ASL Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Petracca
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Lanzillo
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Brescia Morra
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Doriana Landi
- MS Center, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Marco Vercellino
- Division of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, City of Health and Science, University Hospital of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Cavalla
- Division of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, City of Health and Science, University Hospital of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Assunta Bianco
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Mirabella
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Centro di Ricerca per la Sclerosi Multipla "Anna Paola Batocchi," Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Torri Clerici
- Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Eugenia Tomas
- Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Ferrò
- Neuroimmunology, Neurological Unit, Cerebrovascular Department, Center for Multiple Sclerosis, ASST Crema, Crema, Italy
| | - Paola Grossi
- Neuroimmunology, Neurological Unit, Cerebrovascular Department, Center for Multiple Sclerosis, ASST Crema, Crema, Italy
| | - Agostino Nozzolillo
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Neurology Department, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Moiola
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Neurology Department, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Zaffaroni
- Centro Sclerosi Multipla, Ospedale di Gallarate-ASST della Valle Olona, Gallarate, Italy
| | - Marco Ronzoni
- U.O. Neurologia, ASST Rhodense, Garbagnate Milanese, Italy
| | - Federica Pinardi
- IRCCS Istituto delle scienze neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Riabilitazione Sclerosi Multipla Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Novi
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Cellerino
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Antonio Uccelli
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Matilde Inglese
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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12
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Papukchieva S, Kim HD, Stratil AS, Magurne E, Jonckheere A, Kahn M, Schneeweiss S, Ziemssen T, Friedrich B. Real-world evidence from Germany and the United States: Treatment initiation on low-efficacy versus high-efficacy therapies in patients with multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 88:105751. [PMID: 38968925 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hit-hard-and-early (HHAE) strategy where treatment is initiated with high-efficacy therapies opposed to low-efficacy therapies presents a potential paradigm shift in multiple sclerosis (MS) management. This study aimed to assess the adoption of the HHAE strategy in Germany and the United States (US) from 2020 to 2022 based on real-world data. METHODS The analysis was based on longitudinal, patient-level data from Germany and the US. For Germany, data was extracted from the Permea platform covering approximately 44 % of all German community pharmacy dispensing. For the US, data from the Komodo Healthcare Map™ was utilized, covering medical benefit data from around 88 % of the US patient population. Patients ≥18 years old and who had at least 2 prescriptions for MS-related disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) between January 2020 and December 2022 were included. To approximate therapy beginners, a washout period of one year before treatment start was applied, excluding all patients who had an MS-related DMD prescription or claim in 2019. Cohort entry date was the day of the first MS-related DMD dispense or claim. DMDs were classified as high-efficacy and low-efficacy based on the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Consensus Group (MSTCG). Group differences were assessed with two-sided χ2-square and t-tests. RESULTS 29,604 MS therapy beginners were identified in the German and 49,791 MS therapy beginners were identified in the US dataset. 29.6 % of MS therapy beginners in Germany and 61.6 % in the US followed the HHAE strategy. Between 2020 and 2022, a significant 14 % increase in the HHAE strategy was observed in both countries (p < 0.0001). High-efficacy therapy beginners switched from their initially prescribed therapy less frequently than low-efficacy therapy beginners: 6.9 % of high-efficacy vs. 19.5 % of low-efficacy therapy beginners in Germany (p < 0.0001) and 5.5 % of high-efficacy vs. 25.0 % low-efficacy therapy beginners in the US (p < 0.0001) switched from their first prescribed DMD. CONCLUSION Between 2020 and 2022, the adoption of the HHAE strategy increased in both countries, with the US exhibiting nearly double the adoption rates. High-efficacy therapy beginners were less likely to switch from their initially prescribed medication than low-efficacy therapy beginners. Real world evidence can provide valuable insights into rapidly changing treatment patterns in patients with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hyung-Do Kim
- Komodo Health, Inc., 680 Folsom St 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States
| | | | - Emily Magurne
- Komodo Health, Inc., 680 Folsom St 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States
| | - Apolline Jonckheere
- Komodo Health, Inc., 680 Folsom St 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States
| | - Maria Kahn
- Temedica GmbH, Landsberger Str. 300, Munich 80687, Germany
| | - Sebastian Schneeweiss
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus and Dresden University of Technology, Fetscherstraße 74, Dresden 01307, Germany
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Mantegazza R, Saccà F, Antonini G, Bonifati DM, Evoli A, Habetswallner F, Liguori R, Pegoraro E, Rodolico C, Schenone A, Sgarzi M, Pappagallo G. Therapeutic challenges and unmet needs in the management of myasthenia gravis: an Italian expert opinion. Neurol Sci 2024:10.1007/s10072-024-07577-7. [PMID: 38967883 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare, autoimmune, neurological disorder. Most MG patients have autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Some have autoantibodies against muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) or lipoprotein-receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), and some are seronegative. Standard of care, which includes anti-cholinesterase drugs, thymectomy, corticosteroids (CS), and off-label use of non-steroidal immunosuppressive drugs (NSISTs), is bounded by potential side effects and limited efficacy in refractory generalized MG (gMG) patients. This highlights the need for new therapeutic approaches for MG. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the complement system, has been recently approved in Italy for refractory gMG. A panel of 11 experts met to discuss unmet therapeutic needs in the acute and chronic phases of the disease, as well as the standard of care for refractory patients. Survival was emphasized as an acute phase outcome. In the chronic phase, persistent remission and early recognition of exacerbations to prevent myasthenic crisis and respiratory failure were considered crucial. Refractory patients require treatments with fast onset of action, improved tolerability, and the ability to slow disease progression and increase life expectancy. The Panel agreed that eculizumab would presumably meet the therapeutic needs of many refractory gMG patients. The panel concluded that the unmet needs of current standard of care treatments for gMG are significant. Evaluating new therapeutic options accurately is essential to find the best balance between efficacy and tolerability for each patient. Collecting real-world data on novel molecules in routine clinical practice is necessary to address unmet needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Mantegazza
- Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Francesco Saccà
- NSRO Department, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Antonini
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Marco Bonifati
- Neurology Unit, Cerebro-Cardiovascular Department, Ca' Foncello Hospital Treviso, Piazzale Ospedale 1, 31100, Treviso, Italy
| | - Amelia Evoli
- Neuroscience Department, Facolta Di Medicina E Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Institute, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Rocco Liguori
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Carmelo Rodolico
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Schenone
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetic and Maternal and Infantile Sciences (DINOGMI), University and IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Manlio Sgarzi
- Department of Neurology, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Piazza OMS 1, 24127, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pappagallo
- School of Clinical Methodology, IRCCS "Sacred Heart - Don Calabria", Negrar Di Valpolicella, Italy
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Nasr Z, Casper TC, Waltz M, Virupakshaiah A, Lotze T, Shukla N, Chitnis T, Gorman M, Benson LA, Rodriguez M, Tillema JM, Krupp L, Schreiner T, Mar S, Rensel M, Rose J, Liu C, Guye S, Manlius C, Waubant E. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging outcomes in pediatric-onset MS patients on fingolimod and ocrelizumab. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 87:105647. [PMID: 38838422 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observational studies looking at clinical a++nd MRI outcomes of treatments in pediatric MS, could assess current treatment algorithms, and provide insights for designing future clinical trials. OBJECTIVE To describe baseline characteristics and clinical and MRI outcomes in MS patients initiating ocrelizumab and fingolimod under 18 years of age. METHODS MS patients seen at 12 centers of US Network of Pediatric MS were included in this study if they had clinical and MRI follow-up and started treatment with either ocrelizumab or fingolimod prior to the age of 18. RESULTS Eighty-seven patients initiating fingolimod and 52 initiating ocrelizumab met the inclusion criteria. Before starting fingolimod, mean annualized relapse rate was 0.43 (95 % CI: 0.29 - 0.65) and 78 % developed new T2 lesions while during treatment it was 0.12 (95 % CI: 0.08 - 1.9) and 47 % developed new T2 lesions. In the ocrelizumab group, the mean annualized relapse rate prior to initiation of treatment was 0.64 (95 % CI: 0.38-1.09) and a total of 83 % of patients developed new T2 lesions while during treatment it was 0.09 (95 % CI: 0.04-0.21) and none developed new T2 lesions. CONCLUSION This study highlights the importance of evaluating current treatment methods and provides insights about the agents in the ongoing phase III trial comparing fingolimod and ocrelizumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Nasr
- UCSF, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, San Francisco, United States.
| | - T Charles Casper
- University of Utah, Department of Pediatrics, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Michael Waltz
- University of Utah, Department of Pediatrics, Salt Lake City, United States
| | | | - Tim Lotze
- Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Houston, United States
| | - Nikita Shukla
- Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience, Houston, United States
| | - Tanuja Chitnis
- Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Mass General Brigham Pediatric MS Center, Boston, United States
| | - Mark Gorman
- Boston Children's Hospital, Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Program, Boston, United States
| | - Leslie A Benson
- Boston Children's Hospital, Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Program, Boston, United States
| | | | - Jan M Tillema
- Mayo Clinic, Pediatric MS Center, Rochester, United States
| | - Lauren Krupp
- New York University Langone Medical Center, Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center, New York, United States
| | - Teri Schreiner
- University of Colorado, Rocky Mountain MS Center, Aurora, United States
| | - Soe Mar
- Washington University, Pediatric MS and other Demyelinating Disease Center, St. Louis, United States
| | - Mary Rensel
- Cleveland Clinic, Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis, Cleveland, United States
| | - John Rose
- University of Utah, Department of Neurology, Salt Lake City, United States
| | - Chuang Liu
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
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15
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Hernandez J. Multiple sclerosis treatment review for primary care providers. Nurse Pract 2024; 49:38-47. [PMID: 38915149 PMCID: PMC11186711 DOI: 10.1097/01.npr.0000000000000202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The treatment landscape for multiple sclerosis has dramatically grown in terms of available options and complexity. The various mechanisms of action and safety profiles of these new treatments necessitate that primary care providers remain current in knowledge and practice to provide high-quality care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Hernandez
- Jeffrey Hernandez is an MS-certified NP and supervisor of advanced practice providers at the MS Center at University of Miami in Miami, Fla
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16
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Guger M, Enzinger C, Leutmezer F, Di Pauli F, Kraus J, Kalcher S, Kvas E, Berger T. Early intensive versus escalation treatment in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Austria. J Neurol 2024; 271:3142-3152. [PMID: 38430270 PMCID: PMC11136709 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12256-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare the effectiveness of early intensive treatment (EIT) versus escalation treatment (ESC) in a nationwide observational cohort of almost 1000 people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). MATERIALS AND METHODS The EIT cohort started with alemtuzumab (AZM), cladribine (CLAD), fingolimod (FTY), natalizumab (NTZ), ocrelizumab (OCR), or ozanimod (OZA); whereas, the ESC cohort was escalated from dimethylfumarate (DMF) or teriflunomide (TERI) to AZM, CLAD, FTY, NTZ, OCR, or OZA within the Austrian MS Treatment Registry. Patients had to stay on therapy for at least 3 months and up to 16 years. The EIT cohort included 743 and the ESC cohort 227 RRMS patients. We used multinomial propensity scores for inverse probability weighting in generalized linear (GLM) and Cox proportional hazards models to correct for the bias of this non-randomized registry study. RESULTS Estimated mean annualized relapse rates (ARR) were 0.09 for EIT and 0.4 for ESC patients. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) in the GLM model for relapses showed a decreased relapse probability of 78% for the EIT versus ESC cohort [IRR = 0.22, 95% CI (0.16-0.30), p < 0.001]. Analyzing the time to the first relapse by Cox regression, a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.17 [95% CI (0.13-0.22), p < 0.001] revealed a decreased risk of 83% for the EIT group. Regarding sustained Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression for 12 weeks, a HR of 0.55 [95% CI (0.40-0.76), p < 0.001] showed a decreased probability of 45% for the EIT cohort. CONCLUSIONS ESC treatment after DMF and TERI revealed a higher relapse and EDSS progression probability compared to EIT in Austrian RRMS patients. Therefore, an early intensive treatment should be started in patients with an active or highly active disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Guger
- Department of Neurology, Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Hospital Steyr, Sierninger Straße 170, 4400, Steyr, Austria.
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria.
| | | | - Fritz Leutmezer
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Franziska Di Pauli
- Clinical Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jörg Kraus
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University and Salzburger Landeskliniken, Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | | | - Thomas Berger
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Comprehensive Center for Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Okuda DT, Lebrun-Frénay C. Radiologically isolated syndrome in the spectrum of multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2024; 30:630-636. [PMID: 38619142 PMCID: PMC11071642 DOI: 10.1177/13524585241245306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) currently represents the earliest detectable preclinical phase of multiple sclerosis (MS). Remarkable advancements have been recently made, including the identification of risk factors for disease evolution, revisions to the existing 2009 RIS criteria, and our understanding of the impact of early disease-modifying therapy use in the prevention/delay of symptomatic MS from two randomized clinical trials. Here, we discuss RIS in the context of the spectrum of MS, implications in the clinical management of individuals, and provide insights into future opportunities and challenges given the anticipated inclusion of asymptomatic MS in the formal definition of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin T Okuda
- Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, Department of Neurology, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, Dallas, TX, USA
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18
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Gonçalves R, De Decker S, Walmsley G, Maddox TW. Prognosis in meningoencephalitis of unknown origin in dogs: Risk factors associated with survival, clinical relapse, and long-term disability. J Vet Intern Med 2024; 38:1583-1590. [PMID: 38483069 PMCID: PMC11099754 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.17037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) comprises a group of noninfectious inflammatory diseases affecting the central nervous system of dogs. Previous studies have reported individual risk factors for survival but prognostication for MUO remains challenging. OBJECTIVES Identify clinical prognostic variables in dogs with MUO. ANIMALS A retrospective study of 447 dogs presented to 2 UK referral hospitals and diagnosed with MUO. METHODS Medical records of dogs diagnosed with MUO were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression was used for the identification of risk factors for survival and Cox proportional hazards analysis for the identification of risk factors for clinical relapse. RESULTS Eighty-two percent (366/447) of dogs with presumptive MUO survived to discharge and 63.5% (284/447) were alive at 6 months; 36% of the latter (103/284) had persistent neurological deficits. Breed (pugs; P = .03), epileptic seizures (P < .001), paresis (P < .001), and higher neurodisability scale (NDS) score (P < .001) at presentation were negatively associated with survival to 6 months. Dogs with persistent deficits had higher NDS scores on presentation (P = .001). Median follow-up time was 11 months (interquartile range [IQR], 1-24) and 50.6% (160/316) relapsed during treatment (median time to relapse, 7 months; IQR, 2-15). Incomplete resolution of the clinical signs during the 6 months after diagnosis (P < .001), higher NDS score (P < .001), and longer duration of the clinical signs (P < .001) were associated with relapse. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Knowledge of risk factors associated with survival, incomplete recovery and clinical relapse in MUO can help guide monitoring and treatment and improve owner communications regarding prognosis for this debilitating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Gonçalves
- Department of Veterinary ScienceSmall Animal Teaching Hospital, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
- Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing ScienceInstitute of Lifecourse and Medical Sciences, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
| | - Steven De Decker
- Department of Clinical Science and ServicesRoyal Veterinary College, University of LondonHatfieldUK
| | - Gemma Walmsley
- Department of Veterinary ScienceSmall Animal Teaching Hospital, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
- Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing ScienceInstitute of Lifecourse and Medical Sciences, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
| | - Thomas W. Maddox
- Department of Veterinary ScienceSmall Animal Teaching Hospital, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
- Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing ScienceInstitute of Lifecourse and Medical Sciences, University of LiverpoolNestonUK
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19
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Hassoun HK, Hatem AO, Al-Mahdawi A, Jamal Al-Bajalan S, Kadim Karim A, Abdulrasool Al-Mashta S, Mohammed Tawfeeq S, Salih Hamad M, Sheaheed NM, Mohammed Ridha S, Al-Naqshbandi M, Al-Hamadani HA. Iraqi experts consensus on the management of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis in adults. Curr Med Res Opin 2024:1-9. [PMID: 38600842 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2024.2339938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In Iraq, a lack of evidence-based management protocols for diagnosing, treating, and managing multiple sclerosis (MS) poses risks of suboptimal outcomes and clinical practice variability and potential harm to the patients. This study aimed to develop consensus recommendations regarding the diagnosis and management of MS in Iraq, specifically focusing on treatment-naïve patients, suboptimal responders, and women of childbearing age during preconception, pregnancy planning, and lactation. A survey was conducted to collect feedback from a panel of ten key opinion leaders (KOLs), who evaluated and discussed the statements to determine agreement levels. The mini-Delphi method was employed to establish a consensus on the management recommendations, and a meeting was held to analyze the responses and ensure that the recommendations were based on current evidence and followed a consensus-driven approach. RESULTS The Revised McDonald Criteria is recommended for MS diagnosis, which includes evidence of dissemination of disease characteristics in space and time. Disease activity and progression can be monitored using relapses, MRI activity, and short-term disability progression. Experts suggest initiating treatment at diagnosis using higher efficacy medications, such as cladribine, ocrelizumab, natalizumab, or rituximab, for patients with high disease activity after careful risk stratification. Injectable interferon preparations have a tolerable risk profile but have drawbacks, such as the route and frequency of administration. Overall, disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have shown efficacy in reducing relapse rates and short-term disability. CONCLUSION This article presents expert panel recommendations for managing MS in Iraq, taking into account international guidelines, medication updates, and local resources. However, practical questions remain regarding the real-world use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Personalizing treatment based on disease severity, prognosis, and individual risk factors while adhering to guidelines is crucial. A collaborative approach between healthcare providers and patients, considering individual preferences, is vital for achieving treatment goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anmar Oday Hatem
- MS Clinic, Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City Complex, Baghdad, Iraq
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20
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Canto-Gomes J, Boleixa D, Teixeira C, Martins da Silva A, González-Suárez I, Cerqueira J, Correia-Neves M, Nobrega C. Distinct disease-modifying therapies are associated with different blood immune cell profiles in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111826. [PMID: 38461632 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) used for treating people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS) target the immune system by different mechanisms of action. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive assessment of their effects on the immune system in comparison to treatment-naïve pwRRMS. Herein, we evaluated the numbers of circulating B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells (Tregs), natural killer (NK) cells and NKT cells, and their subsets, in pwRRMS who were treatment-naïve or treated with different DMTs. Compared to treatment-naïve pwRRMS, common and divergent effects on immune system cells were observed on pwRRMS treated with different DMTs, with no consistent pattern across all therapies in any of the cell populations analysed. PwRRMS treated with fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate (DMF), or alemtuzumab have reduced numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as well as Treg subsets, with fingolimod causing the most pronounced decrease in T cell subsets. In contrast, teriflunomide and interferon (IFN) β have minimal impact on T cells, and natalizumab marginally increases the number of memory T cells in the blood. The effect of DMTs on the B cell, NKT and NK cell subsets is highly variable with alemtuzumab inducing a strong increase in the number of the most immature NK cells and its subsets. This study comprehensively evaluates the magnitude of the effect of different DMTs on blood immune cells providing a better understanding of therapy outcome. Furthermore, the lack of a discernible pattern in the effects of DMTs on blood immune cells suggests that multiple immune cells can independently modulate the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Canto-Gomes
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Daniela Boleixa
- Porto University Hospital Center, Porto, Portugal; Multidisciplinary Unit for Biomedical Research (UMIB) - ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Teixeira
- Porto University Hospital Center, Porto, Portugal; Multidisciplinary Unit for Biomedical Research (UMIB) - ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Martins da Silva
- Porto University Hospital Center, Porto, Portugal; Multidisciplinary Unit for Biomedical Research (UMIB) - ICBAS, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Inés González-Suárez
- Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Vigo, Spain; University Hospital Complex of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - João Cerqueira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; Hospital of Braga, Braga, Portugal; Clinical Academic Centre, Hospital of Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Margarida Correia-Neves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal; Division of Infectious Diseases and Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Nobrega
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal.
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21
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Papukchieva S, Kahn M, Eberl M, Friedrich B, Joschko N, Ziemssen T. Data on Ocrelizumab Treatment Collected by MS Patients in Germany Using Brisa App. J Pers Med 2024; 14:409. [PMID: 38673036 PMCID: PMC11051290 DOI: 10.3390/jpm14040409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With a rising number of multiple sclerosis (MS) cases and increasing pressure on health systems, digital companion apps like Brisa, designed specifically for people with MS, can play an important role in the patient journey. These apps enable the collection of real-time longitudinal data that are critical to our understanding of the pathophysiology and progression of MS. METHODS This retrospective, descriptive analysis consists of data from Brisa users who registered between 6 August 2021 and 8 September 2022. Of the unique users, 37.7% (n = 1593) fulfilled the inclusion criteria including information about medication and demographics and tracked one or more symptoms and/or patient-reported outcomes. Users were classified as moderate-efficacy treatment users, high-efficacy treatment users and ocrelizumab users, and the reporting frequency and scores of symptoms and patient-reported outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS The largest cohort of Brisa users (405) reported treatment with ocrelizumab and were mostly diagnosed 2-5 years before the survey. The most reported MS symptoms were similar between OUs (ocrelizumab users), HETUs (high-efficacy treatment users) and METUs (moderate-efficacy treatment users). OUs on average reported symptoms and answered questionnaires more frequently. Baseline scores between HETUs and OUs were similar, whereas baseline scores of METUs were slightly lower in comparison. In a further analysis of OUs, disability scores increased with age; users aged 26-45 years had higher pain scores than 18-25-year-olds. No significant differences were found in quality of life, bowel control and vision between age groups. CONCLUSION These findings show that the characteristics of the Brisa cohort are similar to the results of other studies and registries and can provide a representative overview of everyday disease management. Thereby, these results can bridge the gap between clinical research and real patient experience, but they also raise new questions, such as how often the hard-and-early therapy approach is already used and whether baseline characteristics and reasons for choosing a particular treatment contribute to the different outcomes over time. Answering these questions requires further research and analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Kahn
- Temedica GmbH, 80687 Munich, Germany; (S.P.)
| | | | | | | | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus & Dresden University of Technology, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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22
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Spelman T, Simoneau G, Hyde R, Kuhelj R, Alroughani R, Ozakbas S, Karabudak R, Yamout BI, Khoury SJ, Terzi M, Boz C, Horakova D, Kubala Havrdova E, Weinstock-Guttman B, Patti F, Altintas A, Mrabet S, Gouider R, Inshasi J, Shaygannejad V, Eichau S, Ward WL, Butzkueven H. Comparative Effectiveness of Natalizumab, Fingolimod, and Injectable Therapies in Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Registry-Based Study. Neurology 2024; 102:e208114. [PMID: 38447093 PMCID: PMC11033984 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000208114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Patients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) typically experience higher levels of inflammation with more frequent relapses, and though patients with POMS usually recover from relapses better than adults, patients with POMS reach irreversible disability at a younger age than adult-onset patients. There have been few randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in patients with POMS, and most available data are based on observational studies of off-label use of DMTs approved for adults. We assessed the effectiveness of natalizumab compared with fingolimod using injectable platform therapies as a reference in pediatric patients in the global MSBase registry. METHODS This retrospective study included patients with POMS who initiated treatment with an injectable DMT, natalizumab, or fingolimod between January 1, 2006, and May 3, 2021. Patients were matched using inverse probability treatment weighting. The primary outcome was time to first relapse from index therapy initiation. Secondary study outcomes included annualized relapse rate; proportions of relapse-free patients at 1, 2, and 5 years; time to treatment discontinuation; and times to 24-week confirmed disability worsening and confirmed disability improvement. RESULTS A total of 1,218 patients with POMS were included in this analysis. Patients treated with fingolimod had a significantly lower risk of relapse than patients treated with injectable DMTs (hazard ratio [HR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.83; p = 0.008). After adjustment for prior DMT experience in the unmatched sample, patients treated with natalizumab had a significantly lower risk of relapse than patients treated either with injectable DMTs (HR, 0.15; 95% CI 0.07-0.31; p < 0.001) or fingolimod (HR, 0.37; 95% CI 0.14-1.00; p = 0.049). The adjusted secondary study outcomes were generally consistent with the primary outcome or with previous observations. The findings in the inverse probability treatment weighting-adjusted patient populations were confirmed in multiple sensitivity analyses. DISCUSSION Our analyses of relapse risk suggest that natalizumab is more effective than fingolimod in the control of relapses in this population with high rates of new inflammatory activity, consistent with previous studies of natalizumab and fingolimod in adult-onset patients and POMS. In addition, both fingolimod and natalizumab were more effective than first-line injectable therapies. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE This study provides Class II evidence that patients with POMS treated with natalizumab had a lower risk of relapse than those with fingolimod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Spelman
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Simoneau
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert Hyde
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert Kuhelj
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Raed Alroughani
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Serkan Ozakbas
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rana Karabudak
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bassem I Yamout
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Samia J Khoury
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Murat Terzi
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cavit Boz
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dana Horakova
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eva Kubala Havrdova
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bianca Weinstock-Guttman
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Francesco Patti
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ayse Altintas
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Saloua Mrabet
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Riadh Gouider
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jihad Inshasi
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vahid Shaygannejad
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sara Eichau
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - W Luke Ward
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- From the MSBase Foundation (T.S.), Melbourne, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience (T.S.), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Biogen (G.S.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Biogen (R.H., Robert Kuhelj), Baar, Switzerland; Division of Neurology (R.A.), Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait; Dokuz Eylul University (S.O.), Konak/Izmir; Hacettepe University (Rana Karabudak), Ankara, Turkey; Nehme and Therese Tohme Multiple Sclerosis Center (B.I.Y., S.J.K.), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon; 19 Mayis University (M.T.), Samsun; KTU Medical Faculty Farabi Hospital (C.B.), Trabzon, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience (D.H., E.K.H.), First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Neurology (B.W.-G.), Buffalo General Medical Center, Buffalo, NY; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies (F.P.), GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy; Department of Neurology (A.A.), School of Medicine and Koc University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health (S.M.), Razi University Hospital; Department of Neurology (R.G.), Razi University Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia; Rashid Hospital (J.I.), Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (V.S.), Iran; Department of Neurology (S.E.), Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain; Ashfield MedComms (W.L.W.), Middletown, CT; Department of Neuroscience (H.B.), Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne; and Department of Neurology (H.B.), Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
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Frahm N, Ellenberger D, Stahmann A, Fneish F, Lüftenegger D, Salmen HC, Schirduan K, Schaak TPA, Flachenecker P, Kleinschnitz C, Paul F, Krefting D, Zettl UK, Peters M, Warnke C. Treatment switches of disease-modifying therapies in people with multiple sclerosis: long-term experience from the German MS Registry. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2024; 17:17562864241239740. [PMID: 38560408 PMCID: PMC10981260 DOI: 10.1177/17562864241239740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The spectrum of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has expanded over years, but data on treatment strategies is largely lacking. DMT switches are common clinical practice. Objective To compare switchers and non-switchers, characterize the first DMT switch and identify reasons and predictors for switching the first DMT. Methods Data on 2722 PwMS from the German MS Registry were retrospectively analyzed regarding sociodemographic/clinical differences between 1361 switchers (PwMS discontinuing the first DMT) and non-switchers matched according to age, sex, and observation period. Frequencies of first and second DMTs were calculated and switch reasons identified. Predictors for DMT switches were revealed using univariable and multivariable regression models. Results Switchers and non-switchers differed significantly regarding time to first DMT, education, calendar period of the first DMT start (2014-2017 versus 2018-2021), first DMT class used [mild-to-moderate efficacy (MME) versus high-efficacy (HE) DMT], time on first DMT, and disease activity at first DMT start or cessation/last follow-up. The majority of PwMS started with MME DMTs (77.1%), with the most common being glatiramer acetate, dimethyl/diroximel fumarate, and beta-interferon variants. Switchers changed treatment more often to HE DMTs (39.6%), most commonly sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, and natalizumab. Fewer PwMS switched to MME DMTs (35.9%), with the most common being dimethyl/diroximel fumarate, teriflunomide, or beta-interferon. Among 1045 PwMS with sufficient data (76.8% of 1361 switchers), the most frequent reasons for discontinuing the first DMT were disease activity despite DMT (63.1%), adverse events (17.1%), and patient request (8.3%). Predictors for the first DMT switch were MME DMT as initial treatment [odds ratio (OR) = 2.83 (1.76-4.61), p < 0.001; reference: HE DMT], first DMT initiation between 2014 and 2017 [OR = 11.55 (6.93-19.94), p < 0.001; reference: 2018-2021], and shorter time on first DMT [OR = 0.22 (0.18-0.27), p < 0.001]. Conclusion The initial use of MME DMTs was among the strongest predictors of DMT discontinuation in a large German retrospective MS cohort, arguing for the need for prospective treatment strategy trials, not only but also on the initial broad use of HE DMTs in PwMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Frahm
- German MS Registry, MS Forschungs- und Projektentwicklungs-gGmbH (MS Research and Project Development gGmbH [MSFP]), Krausenstr. 50, Hannover, Niedersachsen 30171, Germany
| | - David Ellenberger
- German MS Registry, MS Forschungs- und Projektentwicklungs-gGmbH (MS Research and Project Development gGmbH [MSFP]), Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexander Stahmann
- German MS Registry, MS Forschungs- und Projektentwicklungs-gGmbH (MS Research and Project Development gGmbH [MSFP]), Hannover, Germany
| | - Firas Fneish
- German MS Registry, MS Forschungs- und Projektentwicklungs-gGmbH (MS Research and Project Development gGmbH [MSFP]), Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Christoph Kleinschnitz
- Department of Neurology and Center of Translational and Behavioral Neurosciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Krefting
- Department of Medical Informatics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uwe K. Zettl
- Department of Neurology, Neuroimmunological Section, University Medical Center of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Melanie Peters
- German MS Registry, Gesellschaft für Versorgungsforschung mbH (Society for Health Care Research [GfV]), Hannover, Germany
| | - Clemens Warnke
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Papukchieva S, Stratil AS, Kahn M, Neß NH, Hollnagel-Schmitz M, Gerencser V, Rustemeier J, Eberl M, Friedrich B, Ziemssen T. Shifting from the treat-to-target to the early highly effective treatment approach in patients with multiple sclerosis - real-world evidence from Germany. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2024; 17:17562864241237857. [PMID: 38525488 PMCID: PMC10960977 DOI: 10.1177/17562864241237857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background While evidence highlights the effectiveness of initiating disease-modifying therapy with a high-efficacy medication for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with poor prognostic factors, it remains unclear whether this approach has been adopted by a broad range of MS providers in Germany yet. Objective To assess the adoption of the early highly effective treatment (EHT) compared to the treat-to-target treatment approach with the option of escalating treatment efficacy over time in Germany based on real-world evidence data. Design Patient-level pharmacy dispensing data from the Permea platform were analysed from 2020 to 2022. Methods In total, 29,529 therapy beginners (>18 years) were included to analyse shifts in treatment approaches over time and switching behaviour. Medication classification adhered to the German Society of Neurology guidelines and designated fumarates, glatiramer acetate, teriflunomide and interferons as low-efficacy category 1 medications; cladribine and S1P-modulators as medium-efficacy category 2 medications; and alemtuzumab, natalizumab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab and rituximab (off-label) as high-efficacy category 3 medications. Results Our results show that 70.0% of patients redeemed their first prescription for category 1 medication, 16.3% for category 2 and 13.7% for category 3 medications. The proportion of prescriptions filled shifted from 2020 to 2022 with a decrease of 14.7% for category 1 drugs and an increase of 12.5% for category 3 drugs. 93.2% of patients stayed on their initially prescribed medication category. 3.2% of category 1 and 3.7% of category 2 therapy beginners escalated to category 3 medication. 3.4% of category 3 medication users de-escalated their treatment to category 1 or category 2. Conclusion While most individuals started their treatment according to the treat-to-target approach and remained on their initially prescribed medication category, there has been a steadily increasing shift towards the EHT approach since 2020. These insights demonstrate that, while not officially recommended by German guidelines, MS providers increasingly adopt the EHT approach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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Benallegue N, Rollot F, Wiertlewski S, Casey R, Debouverie M, Kerbrat A, De Seze J, Ciron J, Ruet A, Labauge P, Maillart E, Zephir H, Papeix C, Defer G, Lebrun-Frenay C, Moreau T, Berger E, Stankoff B, Clavelou P, Heinzlef O, Pelletier J, Thouvenot E, Al Khedr A, Bourre B, Casez O, Cabre P, Wahab A, Magy L, Vukusic S, Laplaud DA. Highly Effective Therapies as First-Line Treatment for Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis. JAMA Neurol 2024; 81:273-282. [PMID: 38345791 PMCID: PMC10862269 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.5566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Importance Moderately effective therapies (METs) have been the main treatment in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) for years. Despite the expanding use of highly effective therapies (HETs), treatment strategies for POMS still lack consensus. Objective To assess the real-world association of HET as an index treatment compared with MET with disease activity. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective cohort study conducted from January 1, 2010, to December 8, 2022, until the last recorded visit. The median follow-up was 5.8 years. A total of 36 French MS centers participated in the Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaques (OFSEP) cohort. Of the total participants in OFSEP, only treatment-naive children with relapsing-remitting POMS who received a first HET or MET before adulthood and at least 1 follow-up clinical visit were included in the study. All eligible participants were included in the study, and none declined to participate. Exposure HET or MET at treatment initiation. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the time to first relapse after treatment. Secondary outcomes were annualized relapse rate (ARR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, time to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) progression, tertiary education attainment, and treatment safety/tolerability. An adapted statistical method was used to model the logarithm of event rate by penalized splines of time, allowing adjustment for effects of covariates that is sensitive to nonlinearity and interactions. Results Of the 3841 children (5.2% of 74 367 total participants in OFSEP), 530 patients (mean [SD] age, 16.0 [1.8] years; 364 female [68.7%]) were included in the study. In study patients, both treatment strategies were associated with a reduced risk of first relapse within the first 2 years. HET dampened disease activity with a 54% reduction in first relapse risk (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.46; 95% CI, 0.31-0.67; P < .001) sustained over 5 years, confirmed on MRI activity (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.34; 95% CI, 0.18-0.66; P = .001), and with a better tolerability pattern than MET. The risk of discontinuation at 2 years was 6 times higher with MET (HR, 5.97; 95% CI, 2.92-12.20). The primary reasons for treatment discontinuation were lack of efficacy and intolerance. Index treatment was not associated with EDSS progression or tertiary education attainment (adjusted OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.24-1.10; P = .09). Conclusions and Relevance Results of this cohort study suggest that compared with MET, initial HET in POMS was associated with a reduction in the risk of first relapse with an optimal outcome within the first 2 years and was associated with a lower rate of treatment switching and a better midterm tolerance in children. These findings suggest prioritizing initial HET in POMS, although long-term safety studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nail Benallegue
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Universitaire Angers, CHU Angers, Angers, France
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CIC 14131413, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
| | - Fabien Rollot
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- Department of Neurology, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Infammation, Bron, France
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Observatoire Français de La Sclérose en Plaques, Inserm 1028 et CNRS UMR 5292, Lyon, France
- EUGENE DEVIC EDMUS Foundation Against Multiple Sclerosis, State-Approved Foundation, Bron, France
| | - Sandrine Wiertlewski
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CIC 14131413, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
- Department of Neurology, CHU Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Romain Casey
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- Department of Neurology, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Infammation, Bron, France
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Observatoire Français de La Sclérose en Plaques, Inserm 1028 et CNRS UMR 5292, Lyon, France
- EUGENE DEVIC EDMUS Foundation Against Multiple Sclerosis, State-Approved Foundation, Bron, France
| | - Marc Debouverie
- Department of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Régional Et Universitaire de Nancy, Université de Lorraine, 4360 APEMAC Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy, EA, France
| | - Anne Kerbrat
- Rennes University, CHU Rennes, CRC-SEP Neurology Department, and EMPENN U 1228, Inserm, INRIA, CNRS, Rennes, France
| | - Jérôme De Seze
- Department of Neurology Et Centre d’Investigation Clinique, CHU de Strasbourg, INSERM 1434, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jonathan Ciron
- Department of Neurology, CRC-SEP, CHU de Toulouse, Hôpital Pierre-Paul Riquet, Toulouse, France
- Institut Toulousain Des Maladies Infectieuses Et Inflammatoires (Infinity), Inserm UMR 1291, CNRS UMR 5051, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Aurelie Ruet
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
- Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Neurocentre Magendie, U1215 Bordeaux, France
| | - Pierre Labauge
- CRC SEP, Department of Neurology, Montpellier Universitary Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Helene Zephir
- Pôle Des Neurosciences Et de L’appareil Locomoteur, CRC-SEP, Hôpital Roger Salengro, Université de Lille, Inserm U1172, Lille, France
| | - Caroline Papeix
- Département of Neurology, Hôpital Fondation A.de Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Gilles Defer
- Department of Neurology, Centre Expert SEP, CHU de Caen, Université Normandie, Caen, France
| | - Christine Lebrun-Frenay
- CRC-SEP Neurologie Pasteur 2, CHU de Nice, Université Cote d’Azur, UMR2CA (URRIS), Nice, France
| | | | - Eric Berger
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Bruno Stankoff
- Department of Neurology, CHU Saint-Antoine, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Clavelou
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Olivier Heinzlef
- Département de Neurologie, Centre Hospitalier de Poissy, St Germain, France
| | - Jean Pelletier
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, Hôpital de la Timone, Pôle de Neurosciences Cliniques, Service de Neurologie – MICeME, CRMBM CEMEREM UMR7339, Marseille, France
| | - Eric Thouvenot
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
- IGF, University Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Olivier Casez
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Philippe Cabre
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Fort de France, Fort de France, France
| | - Abir Wahab
- Department of Neurology, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Université Paris Est, Créteil, France
| | - Laurent Magy
- Department of Neurology, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Sandra Vukusic
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- Department of Neurology, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Sclérose en Plaques, Pathologies de la Myéline et Neuro-Infammation, Bron, France
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Observatoire Français de La Sclérose en Plaques, Inserm 1028 et CNRS UMR 5292, Lyon, France
- EUGENE DEVIC EDMUS Foundation Against Multiple Sclerosis, State-Approved Foundation, Bron, France
| | - David-Axel Laplaud
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CIC 14131413, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, Nantes, France
- Department of Neurology, CHU Nantes, Nantes, France
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26
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Butzkueven H, Kalincik T, Patti F, Slee M, Weinstock-Guttman B, Buzzard K, Skibina O, Alroughani R, Prat A, Girard M, Horakova D, Havrdova EK, Van der Walt A, Eichau S, Hyde R, Campbell N, Bodhinathan K, Spelman T. Long-term clinical outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis who are initiating disease-modifying therapy with natalizumab compared with BRACETD first-line therapies. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2024; 17:17562864231221331. [PMID: 38414723 PMCID: PMC10898303 DOI: 10.1177/17562864231221331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Aggressive disease control soon after multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis may prevent irreversible neurological damage, and therefore early initiation of a high-efficacy disease-modifying therapy (DMT) is of clinical relevance. Objectives Evaluate long-term clinical outcomes in patients with MS who initiated treatment with either natalizumab or a BRACETD therapy (interferon beta, glatiramer acetate, teriflunomide, or dimethyl fumarate). Design This retrospective analysis utilized data from MSBase to create a matched population allowing comparison of first-line natalizumab to first-line BRACETD. Methods This study included patients who initiated treatment either with natalizumab or a BRACETD DMT within 1 year of MS diagnosis and continued treatment for ⩾6 months, after which patients could switch DMTs or discontinue treatment. Patients had a minimum follow-up time of ⩾60 months from initiation. A subgroup analysis compared the natalizumab group to patients in the BRACETD group who escalated therapy after 6 months. Outcomes included unadjusted annualized relapse rates (ARRs), time-to-first relapse, time-to-first confirmed disability improvement (CDI), and time-to-first confirmed disability worsening (CDW). Results After 1:1 propensity score matching, 355 BRACETD patients were matched to 355 natalizumab patients. Patients initiating natalizumab were less likely to experience a relapse over the duration of follow-up, with ARRs [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 0.080 (0.070-0.092) for natalizumab patients and 0.191 (0.178-0.205) for BRACETD patients (p < 0.0001). A Cox regression model of time-to-first relapse showed a reduced risk of relapse for natalizumab patients [hazard ratio (95% CI) of 0.52 (0.42-0.65); p < 0.001] and a more favorable time-to-first CDI. The risk of CDW was similar between groups. The subgroup analysis showed an increased relapse risk as well as a significantly higher risk of CDW for BRACETD patients. Conclusion Early initiation of natalizumab produced long-term benefits in relapse outcomes in comparison with BRACETD, regardless of a subsequent escalation in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Butzkueven
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Alfred Campus, Monash University, 6/99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Monash University, Box Hill, VIC, Australia
| | - Tomas Kalincik
- Neuroimmunology Centre, Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Francesco Patti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies 'GF Ingrassia', University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Mark Slee
- Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Katherine Buzzard
- Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Olga Skibina
- Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Raed Alroughani
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait
| | | | - Marc Girard
- CHUM and Universite de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dana Horakova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Kubala Havrdova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Sara Eichau
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Robert Hyde
- Biogen, Cambridge, MA, USA, at the time of this analysis
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Walsh MM, Ackerman DJ, Kropp RM, Eigenbrod M. Developing a Value-Based Care Model for Neurology. Neurol Clin Pract 2024; 14:e200234. [PMID: 38152066 PMCID: PMC10751014 DOI: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000200234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Walsh
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (MMW), Detroit; St. Luke's University Health Network (DJA), Fountain Hill, PA; Robert M. Kropp, MD Consultants (RMK), St. Petersburg, FL; American Academy of Neurology (ME), Minneapolis, MN
| | - Daniel J Ackerman
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (MMW), Detroit; St. Luke's University Health Network (DJA), Fountain Hill, PA; Robert M. Kropp, MD Consultants (RMK), St. Petersburg, FL; American Academy of Neurology (ME), Minneapolis, MN
| | - Robert M Kropp
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (MMW), Detroit; St. Luke's University Health Network (DJA), Fountain Hill, PA; Robert M. Kropp, MD Consultants (RMK), St. Petersburg, FL; American Academy of Neurology (ME), Minneapolis, MN
| | - Meghan Eigenbrod
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (MMW), Detroit; St. Luke's University Health Network (DJA), Fountain Hill, PA; Robert M. Kropp, MD Consultants (RMK), St. Petersburg, FL; American Academy of Neurology (ME), Minneapolis, MN
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28
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Lee CY, Chan KH. Personalized Use of Disease-Modifying Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:120. [PMID: 38258130 PMCID: PMC10820407 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis is an important neurological disease affecting millions of young patients globally. It is encouraging that more than ten disease-modifying drugs became available for use in the past two decades. These disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have different levels of efficacy, routes of administration, adverse effect profiles and concerns for pregnancy. Much knowledge and caution are needed for their appropriate use in MS patients who are heterogeneous in clinical features and severity, lesion load on magnetic resonance imaging and response to DMT. We aim for an updated review of the concept of personalization in the use of DMT for relapsing MS patients. Shared decision making with consideration for the preference and expectation of patients who understand the potential efficacy/benefits and risks of DMT is advocated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Yan Lee
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 405B, 4/F, Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
- Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation Research Laboratory, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Koon-Ho Chan
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, 405B, 4/F, Professorial Block, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
- Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation Research Laboratory, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Research Center of Heart, Brain, Hormone and Healthy Aging, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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29
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Haben S, Ciplea AI, Tokic M, Timmesfeld N, Thiel S, Gold R, Langer-Gould AM, Hellwig K. Early postpartum treatment strategies and early postpartum relapses in women with active multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2024; 95:151-157. [PMID: 37536925 PMCID: PMC10850706 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-331525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relapse risk after delivery is increased in women with active multiple sclerosis (MS), the best strategy to reduce it is unknown. We aimed to assess the association of four different postpartum strategies with relapses during the first 6 months post partum. METHODS This cohort study includes data prospectively collected through structured telephone interviews from the German Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy Registry. Pregnancies with active MS (fingolimod or natalizumab treatment OR relapse within 1 year before pregnancy) and postpartum follow-up of ≥6 months were included. We compared four strategies: (1) intention to breastfeed exclusively without disease-modifying therapy (DMT) (exclusive breast feeding ≥2 months or switching to non-exclusive/weaning within 2 weeks after a relapse during the first 2 months), (2) early treatment with natalizumab/fingolimod and (3) other DMT initiated within 6 weeks post partum before a relapse. If women did not or only partially breastfed, or started DMT≤6 weeks after delivery after a relapse or later, we assumed (4) no-DMT-no-exclusive- breastfeeding-strategy. Main outcome was time to postpartum MS relapses. RESULTS In 867 women with 911 pregnancies, most (n=416) intended to breastfeed exclusively or had no-DMT-no-exclusive-breastfeeding-strategy (n=290); fewer started fingolimod (n=38), natalizumab (n=74) or another DMT (n=93) early. Recurrent time-to-event analysis showed a statistically significant reduction in relapse hazard only with the natalizumab/fingolimod-strategy as of months 3-4 post partum compared with intention-to-breastfeed-exclusively-strategy. The very early relapse risk was highest in no-DMT-no-exclusive-breastfeeding-strategy. CONCLUSION In active MS, an early postpartum treatment strategy should be determined well before delivery. Natalizumab/fingolimod-strategy reduced postpartum relapse hazard from month 3, but none diminished the early postpartum relapse hazard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Haben
- Department of Neurology, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Andrea I Ciplea
- Department of Neurology, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Marianne Tokic
- Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nina Timmesfeld
- Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sandra Thiel
- Department of Neurology, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ralf Gold
- Department of Neurology, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Hellwig
- Department of Neurology, Katholisches Klinikum Bochum, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Spelman T, Herring WL, Acosta C, Hyde R, Jokubaitis VG, Pucci E, Lugaresi A, Laureys G, Havrdova EK, Horakova D, Izquierdo G, Eichau S, Ozakbas S, Alroughani R, Kalincik T, Duquette P, Girard M, Petersen T, Patti F, Csepany T, Granella F, Grand'Maison F, Ferraro D, Karabudak R, Jose Sa M, Trojano M, van Pesch V, Van Wijmeersch B, Cartechini E, McCombe P, Gerlach O, Spitaleri D, Rozsa C, Hodgkinson S, Bergamaschi R, Gouider R, Soysal A, Castillo-Triviño, Prevost J, Garber J, de Gans K, Ampapa R, Simo M, Sanchez-Menoyo JL, Iuliano G, Sas A, van der Walt A, John N, Gray O, Hughes S, De Luca G, Onofrj M, Buzzard K, Skibina O, Terzi M, Slee M, Solaro C, Oreja-Guevara, Ramo-Tello C, Fragoso Y, Shaygannejad V, Moore F, Rajda C, Aguera Morales E, Butzkueven H. Comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of natalizumab and fingolimod in rapidly evolving severe relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the United Kingdom. J Med Econ 2024; 27:109-125. [PMID: 38085684 DOI: 10.1080/13696998.2023.2293379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the real-world comparative effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness, from a UK National Health Service perspective, of natalizumab versus fingolimod in patients with rapidly evolving severe relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RES-RRMS). METHODS Real-world data from the MSBase Registry were obtained for patients with RES-RRMS who were previously either naive to disease-modifying therapies or had been treated with interferon-based therapies, glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, or teriflunomide (collectively known as BRACETD). Matched cohorts were selected by 3-way multinomial propensity score matching, and the annualized relapse rate (ARR) and 6-month-confirmed disability worsening (CDW6M) and improvement (CDI6M) were compared between treatment groups. Comparative effectiveness results were used in a cost-effectiveness model comparing natalizumab and fingolimod, using an established Markov structure over a lifetime horizon with health states based on the Expanded Disability Status Scale. Additional model data sources included the UK MS Survey 2015, published literature, and publicly available sources. RESULTS In the comparative effectiveness analysis, we found a significantly lower ARR for patients starting natalizumab compared with fingolimod (rate ratio [RR] = 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-0.73) or BRACETD (RR = 0.46; 95% CI, 0.42-0.53). Similarly, CDI6M was higher for patients starting natalizumab compared with fingolimod (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.01-1.55) and BRACETD (HR = 1.46; 95% CI, 1.16-1.85). In patients starting fingolimod, we found a lower ARR (RR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.65-0.80) compared with starting BRACETD, but no difference in CDI6M (HR = 1.17; 95% CI, 0.91-1.50). Differences in CDW6M were not found between the treatment groups. In the base-case cost-effectiveness analysis, natalizumab dominated fingolimod (0.302 higher quality-adjusted life-years [QALYs] and £17,141 lower predicted lifetime costs). Similar cost-effectiveness results were observed across sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS This MSBase Registry analysis suggests that natalizumab improves clinical outcomes when compared with fingolimod, which translates to higher QALYs and lower costs in UK patients with RES-RRMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Spelman
- MSBase Foundation, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - W L Herring
- Health Economics, RTI Health Solutions, NC, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Acosta
- Value and Access, Biogen, Baar, Switzerland
| | - R Hyde
- Medical, Biogen, Baar, Switzerland
| | - V G Jokubaitis
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - E Pucci
- Neurology Unit, AST-Fermo, Fermo, Italy
| | - A Lugaresi
- Dipartamento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - G Laureys
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - E K Havrdova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - D Horakova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - G Izquierdo
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain
| | - S Eichau
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain
| | - S Ozakbas
- Izmir University of Economics, Medical Point Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
| | - R Alroughani
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Amiri Hospital, Sharq, Kuwait
| | - T Kalincik
- Neuroimmunology Centre, Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- CORe, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - P Duquette
- CHUM and Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - M Girard
- CHUM and Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - T Petersen
- Aarhus University Hospital, Arhus C, Denmark
| | - F Patti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies, GF Ingrassia, Catania, Italy
- UOS Sclerosi Multipla, AOU Policlinico "G Rodloico-San Marco", University of Catania, Italy
| | - T Csepany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - F Granella
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
- Department of General Medicine, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | | | - D Ferraro
- Department of Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Modena, Italy
| | | | - M Jose Sa
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitario de Sao Joao, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal
| | - M Trojano
- School of Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - V van Pesch
- Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
| | - B Van Wijmeersch
- University MS Centre, Hasselt-Pelt and Noorderhart Rehabilitation & MS, Pelt and Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | | | - P McCombe
- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Australia
| | - O Gerlach
- Academic MS Center Zuyd, Department of Neurology, Zuyderland Medical Center, Sittard-Geleen, The Netherlands
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - D Spitaleri
- Azienda Ospedaliera di Rilievo Nazionale San Giuseppe Moscati Avellino, Avellino, Italy
| | - C Rozsa
- Jahn Ferenc Teaching Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
| | - S Hodgkinson
- Immune Tolerance Laboratory Ingham Institute and Department of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - R Gouider
- Department of Neurology, LR18SP03 and Clinical Investigation Center Neurosciences and Mental Health, Razi University Hospital -, Mannouba, Tunis, Tunisia
- Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - A Soysal
- Bakirkoy Education and Research Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Castillo-Triviño
- Hospital Universitario Donostia and IIS Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - J Prevost
- CSSS Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Jerome, Canada
| | - J Garber
- Westmead Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - K de Gans
- Groene Hart Ziekenhuis, Gouda, Netherlands
| | - R Ampapa
- Nemocnice Jihlava, Jihlava, Czech Republic
| | - M Simo
- Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - J L Sanchez-Menoyo
- Department of Neurology, Galdakao-Usansolo University Hospital, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, Galdakao, Spain
- Biocruces-Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Spain
| | - G Iuliano
- Ospedali Riuniti di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - A Sas
- Department of Neurology and Stroke, BAZ County Hospital, Miskolc, Hungary
| | - A van der Walt
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - N John
- Monash University, Clayton, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Monash Health, Clayton, Australia
| | - O Gray
- South Eastern HSC Trust, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - S Hughes
- Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - G De Luca
- MS Centre, Neurology Unit, "SS. Annunziata" University Hospital, University "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti, Italy
| | - M Onofrj
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging, and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti, Italy
| | - K Buzzard
- Department of Neurosciences, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- MS Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - O Skibina
- Department of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - M Terzi
- Medical Faculty, 19 Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - M Slee
- Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - C Solaro
- Department of Neurology, ASL3 Genovese, Genova, Italy
- Department of Rehabilitation, ML Novarese Hospital Moncrivello
| | - Oreja-Guevara
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Ramo-Tello
- Department of Neuroscience, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain
| | - Y Fragoso
- Universidade Metropolitana de Santos, Santos, Brazil
| | | | - F Moore
- Department of Neurology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - C Rajda
- Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - E Aguera Morales
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC)
| | - H Butzkueven
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Bellanca CM, Augello E, Mariottini A, Bonaventura G, La Cognata V, Di Benedetto G, Cantone AF, Attaguile G, Di Mauro R, Cantarella G, Massacesi L, Bernardini R. Disease Modifying Strategies in Multiple Sclerosis: New Rays of Hope to Combat Disability? Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:1286-1326. [PMID: 38275058 PMCID: PMC11092922 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x22666240124114126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most prevalent chronic autoimmune inflammatory- demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). It usually begins in young adulthood, mainly between the second and fourth decades of life. Usually, the clinical course is characterized by the involvement of multiple CNS functional systems and by different, often overlapping phenotypes. In the last decades, remarkable results have been achieved in the treatment of MS, particularly in the relapsing- remitting (RRMS) form, thus improving the long-term outcome for many patients. As deeper knowledge of MS pathogenesis and respective molecular targets keeps growing, nowadays, several lines of disease-modifying treatments (DMT) are available, an impressive change compared to the relative poverty of options available in the past. Current MS management by DMTs is aimed at reducing relapse frequency, ameliorating symptoms, and preventing clinical disability and progression. Notwithstanding the relevant increase in pharmacological options for the management of RRMS, research is now increasingly pointing to identify new molecules with high efficacy, particularly in progressive forms. Hence, future efforts should be concentrated on achieving a more extensive, if not exhaustive, understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying this phase of the disease in order to characterize novel molecules for therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this review is to provide a compact overview of the numerous currently approved treatments and future innovative approaches, including neuroprotective treatments as anti-LINGO-1 monoclonal antibody and cell therapies, for effective and safe management of MS, potentially leading to a cure for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Maria Bellanca
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Egle Augello
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Alice Mariottini
- Department of Neurosciences Drugs and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Gabriele Bonaventura
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Giulia Di Benedetto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Anna Flavia Cantone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Attaguile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Rosaria Di Mauro
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Cantarella
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Luca Massacesi
- Department of Neurosciences Drugs and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Renato Bernardini
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences (BIOMETEC), Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Stavropoulou De Lorenzo S, Bakirtzis C, Konstantinidou N, Kesidou E, Parissis D, Evangelopoulos ME, Elsayed D, Hamdy E, Said S, Grigoriadis N. How Early Is Early Multiple Sclerosis? J Clin Med 2023; 13:214. [PMID: 38202221 PMCID: PMC10780129 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13010214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The development and further optimization of the diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) emphasize the establishment of an early and accurate diagnosis. So far, numerous studies have revealed the significance of early treatment administration for MS and its association with slower disease progression and better late outcomes of the disease with regards to disability accumulation. However, according to current research results, both neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative processes may exist prior to symptom initiation. Despite the fact that a significant proportion of individuals with radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS) progress to MS, currently, there is no available treatment approved for RIS. Therefore, our idea of "early treatment administration" might be already late in some cases. In order to detect the individuals who will progress to MS, we need accurate biomarkers. In this review, we present notable research results regarding the underlying pathology of MS, as well as several potentially useful laboratory and neuroimaging biomarkers for the identification of high-risk individuals with RIS for developing MS. This review aims to raise clinicians' awareness regarding "subclinical" MS, enrich their understanding of MS pathology, and familiarize them with several potential biomarkers that are currently under investigation and might be used in clinical practice in the future for the identification of individuals with RIS at high risk for conversion to definite MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotiria Stavropoulou De Lorenzo
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
| | - Christos Bakirtzis
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
| | - Natalia Konstantinidou
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
| | - Evangelia Kesidou
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
| | - Dimitrios Parissis
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
| | | | - Dina Elsayed
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21311, Egypt; (D.E.); (E.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Eman Hamdy
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21311, Egypt; (D.E.); (E.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Sameh Said
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21311, Egypt; (D.E.); (E.H.); (S.S.)
| | - Nikolaos Grigoriadis
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Second Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54621 Thessaloniki, Greece; (S.S.D.L.); (N.K.); (E.K.); (D.P.); (N.G.)
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Oh J, Airas L, Harrison D, Järvinen E, Livingston T, Lanker S, Malik RA, Okuda DT, Villoslada P, de Vries HE. Neuroimaging to monitor worsening of multiple sclerosis: advances supported by the grant for multiple sclerosis innovation. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1319869. [PMID: 38107636 PMCID: PMC10722910 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1319869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Key unmet needs in multiple sclerosis (MS) include detection of early pathology, disability worsening independent of relapses, and accurate monitoring of treatment response. Collaborative approaches to address these unmet needs have been driven in part by industry-academic networks and initiatives such as the Grant for Multiple Sclerosis Innovation (GMSI) and Multiple Sclerosis Leadership and Innovation Network (MS-LINK™) programs. We review the application of recent advances, supported by the GMSI and MS-LINK™ programs, in neuroimaging technology to quantify pathology related to central pathology and disease worsening, and potential for their translation into clinical practice/trials. GMSI-supported advances in neuroimaging methods and biomarkers include developments in magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, ocular imaging, and machine learning. However, longitudinal studies are required to facilitate translation of these measures to the clinic and to justify their inclusion as endpoints in clinical trials of new therapeutics for MS. Novel neuroimaging measures and other biomarkers, combined with artificial intelligence, may enable accurate prediction and monitoring of MS worsening in the clinic, and may also be used as endpoints in clinical trials of new therapies for MS targeting relapse-independent disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwon Oh
- Division of Neurology, St. Michael’s Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laura Airas
- Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Daniel Harrison
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Baltimore VA Medical Center, VA Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Elina Järvinen
- Neurology and Immunology, Medical Unit N&I, Merck OY (an affiliate of Merck KGaA), Espoo, Finland
| | - Terrie Livingston
- Patient Solutions and Center of Excellence Strategic Engagement, EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, MA, United States
| | - Stefan Lanker
- Neurology & Immunology, US Medical Affairs, EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., (an affiliate of Merck KGaA), Billerica, MA, United States
| | - Rayaz A. Malik
- Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Research Division, Doha, Qatar
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Darin T. Okuda
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, Clinical Center for Multiple Sclerosis, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Pablo Villoslada
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helga E. de Vries
- MS Center Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers (Amsterdam UMC), Location VUmc, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Jacober SLS, Disanto G, Sacco R, Meng D, Mallucci G, Candrian U, Semini S, Tiberti M, Gobbi C, Zecca C. Interplay between age and disease-modifying treatments in influencing infection risk in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler 2023; 29:1765-1775. [PMID: 37786964 DOI: 10.1177/13524585231199820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) can increase the risk of infections in multiple sclerosis (MS). Aged individuals are usually excluded from clinical trials, and there is uncertainty regarding safety of immunosuppressive DMTs in these patients. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of DMTs, ageing and other clinical variables with risk of infections in MS patients. METHODS Prospective single-centre observational study collecting information on occurrence, type and grade of infections in patients followed at the MS centre, Lugano (Switzerland). Associations with infection risk were tested using multivariable Poisson and Cox regressions. RESULTS A total of 503 patients were included (injectables/untreated, n = 127; orals, n = 139; monoclonal antibodies (MAB), n = 237) and 326 infections recorded over 12.6 (11.6-14.0) months. As compared to injectable DMTs/no treatment, MAB and oral DMTs were positively associated with infection incidence (IRR = 2.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.39-3.89, p = 0.001; IRR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.19-3.49, p = 0.009, respectively). After excluding COVID-19, the effect of MAB was stronger among patients <50 years (IRR = 5.90, 95% CI = 2.80-12.45, p < 0.001) than >50 years (IRR = 1.95, 95% CI = 0.91-4.15, p = 0.084). Higher disability and male sex were the only variables associated with severe infections. CONCLUSION Treatment with MAB and oral DMTs is associated with higher incidence of infections, with a stronger effect in young MS patients. Disability appears the main predictor of severe infections regardless of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lena Susanna Jacober
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Disanto
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Rosaria Sacco
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Delania Meng
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Mallucci
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Candrian
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Sebastiano Semini
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Massimiliano Tiberti
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Gobbi
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Zecca
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC), Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
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Tramacere I, Virgili G, Perduca V, Lucenteforte E, Benedetti MD, Capobussi M, Castellini G, Frau S, Gonzalez-Lorenzo M, Featherstone R, Filippini G. Adverse effects of immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis: a network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 11:CD012186. [PMID: 38032059 PMCID: PMC10687854 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012186.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects mainly young adults (two to three times more frequently in women than in men) and causes significant disability after onset. Although it is accepted that immunotherapies for people with MS decrease disease activity, uncertainty regarding their relative safety remains. OBJECTIVES To compare adverse effects of immunotherapies for people with MS or clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), and to rank these treatments according to their relative risks of adverse effects through network meta-analyses (NMAs). SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, PubMed, Embase, two other databases and trials registers up to March 2022, together with reference checking and citation searching to identify additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA We included participants 18 years of age or older with a diagnosis of MS or CIS, according to any accepted diagnostic criteria, who were included in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined one or more of the agents used in MS or CIS, and compared them versus placebo or another active agent. We excluded RCTs in which a drug regimen was compared with a different regimen of the same drug without another active agent or placebo as a control arm. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard Cochrane methods for data extraction and pairwise meta-analyses. For NMAs, we used the netmeta suite of commands in R to fit random-effects NMAs assuming a common between-study variance. We used the CINeMA platform to GRADE the certainty of the body of evidence in NMAs. We considered a relative risk (RR) of 1.5 as a non-inferiority safety threshold compared to placebo. We assessed the certainty of evidence for primary outcomes within the NMA according to GRADE, as very low, low, moderate or high. MAIN RESULTS This NMA included 123 trials with 57,682 participants. Serious adverse events (SAEs) Reporting of SAEs was available from 84 studies including 5696 (11%) events in 51,833 (89.9%) participants out of 57,682 participants in all studies. Based on the absolute frequency of SAEs, our non-inferiority threshold (up to a 50% increased risk) meant that no more than 1 in 18 additional people would have a SAE compared to placebo. Low-certainty evidence suggested that three drugs may decrease SAEs compared to placebo (relative risk [RR], 95% confidence interval [CI]): interferon beta-1a (Avonex) (0.78, 0.66 to 0.94); dimethyl fumarate (0.79, 0.67 to 0.93), and glatiramer acetate (0.84, 0.72 to 0.98). Several drugs met our non-inferiority criterion versus placebo: moderate-certainty evidence for teriflunomide (1.08, 0.88 to 1.31); low-certainty evidence for ocrelizumab (0.85, 0.67 to 1.07), ozanimod (0.88, 0.59 to 1.33), interferon beta-1b (0.94, 0.78 to 1.12), interferon beta-1a (Rebif) (0.96, 0.80 to 1.15), natalizumab (0.97, 0.79 to 1.19), fingolimod (1.05, 0.92 to 1.20) and laquinimod (1.06, 0.83 to 1.34); very low-certainty evidence for daclizumab (0.83, 0.68 to 1.02). Non-inferiority with placebo was not met due to imprecision for the other drugs: low-certainty evidence for cladribine (1.10, 0.79 to 1.52), siponimod (1.20, 0.95 to 1.51), ofatumumab (1.26, 0.88 to 1.79) and rituximab (1.01, 0.67 to 1.52); very low-certainty evidence for immunoglobulins (1.05, 0.33 to 3.32), diroximel fumarate (1.05, 0.23 to 4.69), peg-interferon beta-1a (1.07, 0.66 to 1.74), alemtuzumab (1.16, 0.85 to 1.60), interferons (1.62, 0.21 to 12.72) and azathioprine (3.62, 0.76 to 17.19). Withdrawals due to adverse events Reporting of withdrawals due to AEs was available from 105 studies (85.4%) including 3537 (6.39%) events in 55,320 (95.9%) patients out of 57,682 patients in all studies. Based on the absolute frequency of withdrawals, our non-inferiority threshold (up to a 50% increased risk) meant that no more than 1 in 31 additional people would withdraw compared to placebo. No drug reduced withdrawals due to adverse events when compared with placebo. There was very low-certainty evidence (meaning that estimates are not reliable) that two drugs met our non-inferiority criterion versus placebo, assuming an upper 95% CI RR limit of 1.5: diroximel fumarate (0.38, 0.11 to 1.27) and alemtuzumab (0.63, 0.33 to 1.19). Non-inferiority with placebo was not met due to imprecision for the following drugs: low-certainty evidence for ofatumumab (1.50, 0.87 to 2.59); very low-certainty evidence for methotrexate (0.94, 0.02 to 46.70), corticosteroids (1.05, 0.16 to 7.14), ozanimod (1.06, 0.58 to 1.93), natalizumab (1.20, 0.77 to 1.85), ocrelizumab (1.32, 0.81 to 2.14), dimethyl fumarate (1.34, 0.96 to 1.86), siponimod (1.63, 0.96 to 2.79), rituximab (1.63, 0.53 to 5.00), cladribine (1.80, 0.89 to 3.62), mitoxantrone (2.11, 0.50 to 8.87), interferons (3.47, 0.95 to 12.72), and cyclophosphamide (3.86, 0.45 to 33.50). Eleven drugs may have increased withdrawals due to adverse events compared with placebo: low-certainty evidence for teriflunomide (1.37, 1.01 to 1.85), glatiramer acetate (1.76, 1.36 to 2.26), fingolimod (1.79, 1.40 to 2.28), interferon beta-1a (Rebif) (2.15, 1.58 to 2.93), daclizumab (2.19, 1.31 to 3.65) and interferon beta-1b (2.59, 1.87 to 3.77); very low-certainty evidence for laquinimod (1.42, 1.01 to 2.00), interferon beta-1a (Avonex) (1.54, 1.13 to 2.10), immunoglobulins (1.87, 1.01 to 3.45), peg-interferon beta-1a (3.46, 1.44 to 8.33) and azathioprine (6.95, 2.57 to 18.78); however, very low-certainty evidence is unreliable. Sensitivity analyses including only studies with low attrition bias, drug dose above the group median, or only patients with relapsing remitting MS or CIS, and subgroup analyses by prior disease-modifying treatments did not change these figures. Rankings No drug yielded consistent P scores in the upper quartile of the probability of being better than others for primary and secondary outcomes. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We found mostly low and very low-certainty evidence that drugs used to treat MS may not increase SAEs, but may increase withdrawals compared with placebo. The results suggest that there is no important difference in the occurrence of SAEs between first- and second-line drugs and between oral, injectable, or infused drugs, compared with placebo. Our review, along with other work in the literature, confirms poor-quality reporting of adverse events from RCTs of interventions. At the least, future studies should follow the CONSORT recommendations about reporting harm-related issues. To address adverse effects, future systematic reviews should also include non-randomized studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Tramacere
- Department of Research and Clinical Development, Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianni Virgili
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Ophthalmology, IRCCS - Fondazione Bietti, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Perduca
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, MAP5, F-75006 Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Gustave Roussy, CESP, 94805, Villejuif, France
| | - Ersilia Lucenteforte
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science and Applications "G. Parenti", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Donata Benedetti
- UOC Neurologia B - Policlinico Borgo Roma, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy
| | - Matteo Capobussi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Greta Castellini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopaedic Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marien Gonzalez-Lorenzo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology, Laboratory of Clinical Research Methodology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Graziella Filippini
- Scientific Director's Office, Carlo Besta Foundation and Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy
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Åkesson J, Hojjati S, Hellberg S, Raffetseder J, Khademi M, Rynkowski R, Kockum I, Altafini C, Lubovac-Pilav Z, Mellergård J, Jenmalm MC, Piehl F, Olsson T, Ernerudh J, Gustafsson M. Proteomics reveal biomarkers for diagnosis, disease activity and long-term disability outcomes in multiple sclerosis. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6903. [PMID: 37903821 PMCID: PMC10616092 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42682-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitive and reliable protein biomarkers are needed to predict disease trajectory and personalize treatment strategies for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we use the highly sensitive proximity-extension assay combined with next-generation sequencing (Olink Explore) to quantify 1463 proteins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma from 143 people with early-stage MS and 43 healthy controls. With longitudinally followed discovery and replication cohorts, we identify CSF proteins that consistently predicted both short- and long-term disease progression. Lower levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in CSF is superior in predicting the absence of disease activity two years after sampling (replication AUC = 0.77) compared to all other tested proteins. Importantly, we also identify a combination of 11 CSF proteins (CXCL13, LTA, FCN2, ICAM3, LY9, SLAMF7, TYMP, CHI3L1, FYB1, TNFRSF1B and NfL) that predict the severity of disability worsening according to the normalized age-related MS severity score (replication AUC = 0.90). The identification of these proteins may help elucidate pathogenetic processes and might aid decisions on treatment strategies for persons with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Åkesson
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
- Systems Biology Research Centre, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Sara Hojjati
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sandra Hellberg
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johanna Raffetseder
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mohsen Khademi
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert Rynkowski
- Department of Neurology, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Kockum
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudio Altafini
- Division of Automatic Control, Department of Electrical Engineering, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Zelmina Lubovac-Pilav
- Systems Biology Research Centre, School of Bioscience, University of Skövde, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Johan Mellergård
- Department of Neurology, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria C Jenmalm
- Division of Inflammation and Infection, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Piehl
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Olsson
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, 171 76, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mika Gustafsson
- Bioinformatics, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, 581 83, Linköping, Sweden.
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Khan E, Kagzi Y, Elkhooly M, Surpur S, Wen S, Sharma K, Sriwastava S. Disease modifying therapy and pregnancy outcomes in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neuroimmunol 2023; 383:578178. [PMID: 37672841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To report pregnancy outcomes among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review of articles published from June 1996 to May 2023. Additional information was acquired from the drug registries of individual pharmaceutical companies. A comparison was also made with pregnancy data of the general population using the World Health Organization database. Summary analysis was achieved using R statistical software (v3.6), and the overall prevalence of outcomes was estimated using a random effects model. RESULTS A meta-analysis of 44 studies was conducted. Dimethyl fumarate had the highest prevalence of premature births at 0.6667% (SD:0.5236-0.7845). The highest rates of stillbirths and infant deaths (perinatal and neonatal) were observed with interferons at 0.004% (SD:0.001-0.010) and 0.009% (SD:0.005-0.0015), respectively. Cladribine had the majority of ectopic pregnancies (0.0234%, SD:0.0041-1217), while natalizumab had the highest prevalence of spontaneous abortions (0.1177%, SD:0.0931-0.1477) and live birth defects (0.0755%, SD:0.0643-0.0943).None of the outcomes were significantly different from those of the general population (p > 0.05), except ectopic pregnancy and spontaneous abortion (p < 0.001), where the odds were 0.665 (0.061-0.886) and 0.537(0.003-0.786), respectively. The pooled prevalence of MS relapses was 221% for a single episode (SD:0.001-0.714), 0.075% for more than one episode (SD:0.006-0.167), and 0.141% for at least one episode requiring steroids (SD:0.073-0.206) none of these reached clinical significance. CONCLUSION Existing research suggests that DMT use in MS patients during pregnancy is generally considered safe. This study supports their utilization on a case-by-case basis. However, further primary research on this topic with clinical trials is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erum Khan
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL,USA
| | - Yusuf Kagzi
- Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore, India
| | - Mahmoud Elkhooly
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL, USA; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Minia University, Egypt
| | | | - Sijin Wen
- West Virginia Clinical Transitional Science, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Kanika Sharma
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School (UT Health), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX,USA
| | - Shitiz Sriwastava
- Division of Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School (UT Health), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX,USA.
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Geiger CK, Sheinson D, To TM, Jones D, Bonine NG. Real-World Clinical and Economic Outcomes Among Persons With Multiple Sclerosis Initiating First- Versus Second- or Later-Line Treatment With Ocrelizumab. Neurol Ther 2023; 12:1709-1728. [PMID: 37458897 PMCID: PMC10444704 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-023-00523-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prior research has demonstrated that early treatment with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), including ocrelizumab (OCR), can reduce relapses and delay disease progression among persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) compared with escalation from low-/moderate-efficacy DMTs. However, there is a lack of research examining the impact of early use of OCR on real-world clinical and economic outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate differences in events often associated with a relapse (EOAR) as well as non-DMT healthcare resource use (HCRU) and costs among pwMS who received OCR as a first-line treatment compared with later-line treatment after diagnosis. METHODS Newly diagnosed adult pwMS were selected from deidentified Optum Market Clarity claims data (study period: January 1, 2015-June 30, 2021). All pwMS were required to have initiated OCR after diagnosis and have 12 months of continuous eligibility prior to diagnosis. The index date was the date of initiation of the first-line DMT after diagnosis. pwMS who initiated OCR as first-line (1L OCR cohort) or a second- or later-line treatment (2L + OCR cohort) were matched 1:1 based on length of continuous eligibility after the first-line DMT and weighted using stabilized inverse probability of treatment. In the follow-up period, differences in outcomes, including annualized EOAR, non-DMT HCRU and costs, were evaluated for pwMS in the 1L vs. 2L + OCR cohorts. RESULTS The sample included 748 pwMS. During the follow-up period, pwMS in the 1L OCR cohort had a significantly lower annual rate of EOAR compared with pwMS in the 2L + OCR cohort (0.37 vs. 0.56; difference: 0.20 [95% CI 0.08, 0.32]). pwMS in the 1L OCR cohort had a significantly lower probability of any hospitalization within 1 year, fewer non-DMT outpatient visits and lower all-cause and MS-related, non-DMT costs compared with pwMS in the 2L + OCR cohort. CONCLUSIONS First-line initiation OCR was associated with improvements in clinical and non-DMT economic outcomes compared with later-line initiation of OCR, suggesting that early initiation may benefit both patients and the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Danny Sheinson
- Genentech, Inc., 350 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Tu My To
- Genentech, Inc., 350 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - David Jones
- Genentech, Inc., 350 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Nicole G Bonine
- Genentech, Inc., 350 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
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Coles AJ, Achiron A, Traboulsee A, Singer BA, Pozzilli C, Oreja-Guevara C, Giovannoni G, Comi G, Freedman MS, Ziemssen T, Shiota D, Rawlings AM, Wong AT, Chirieac M, Montalban X. Safety and efficacy with alemtuzumab over 13 years in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: final results from the open-label TOPAZ study. Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2023; 16:17562864231194823. [PMID: 37745914 PMCID: PMC10515516 DOI: 10.1177/17562864231194823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives Alemtuzumab demonstrated superior efficacy versus subcutaneous interferon (IFN) beta-1a in participants with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in the 2-year CARE-MS I and II trials. Efficacy was maintained in the 4-year CARE-MS extension, during which alemtuzumab-treated participants ('alemtuzumab-only') could receive additional courses upon disease activity, and IFN-treated participants switched to alemtuzumab ('IFN-alemtuzumab'). Participants who completed the CARE-MS extension could enroll in the open-label TOPAZ study which assessed safety and efficacy for 5-7 years (11-13 years after alemtuzumab/IFN initiation). Methods Participants received additional alemtuzumab courses as needed. Assessments included adverse events (AEs; primary outcome), annualized relapse rate (ARR), 6-month confirmed disability worsening [CDW; ⩾1.0-point Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score increase or ⩾1.5 if baseline EDSS = 0], and 6-month confirmed disease improvement [CDI; >1.0-point EDSS decrease (baseline score ⩾2.0)]. Results 43.5% of alemtuzumab-only participants from CARE-MS II and 54.2% from CARE-MS I received no additional alemtuzumab courses; 30.0% and 20.9%, respectively, received one additional course (the median). Incidences of AEs, including thyroid AEs and infections, declined over time. The safety profile of alemtuzumab was similar for participants who received zero, one, or two additional courses. For CARE-MS II participants, who had inadequate response to previous treatment, ARR remained low during Years 3-13 for the alemtuzumab-only [0.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-0.20] and IFN-alemtuzumab (0.14; 0.11-0.17) groups. At Year 11, the proportions of participants who were either free from CDW or who had CDI were higher in the alemtuzumab-only group (58% and 49%, respectively) than in the IFN-alemtuzumab group (51% and 37%). For CARE-MS I participants, who were previously treatment-naïve, clinical outcomes remained improved, and no between-group differences were apparent. Conclusion Safety risks associated with alemtuzumab treatment declined over time. Clinical benefits were maintained up to 11-13 years, and most participants did not require more than one additional course. Clinicaltrialsgov identifiers NCT00530348; NCT00548405; NCT00930553; NCT02255656.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alasdair J. Coles
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Box 165, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Anat Achiron
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Israel
- Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - Anthony Traboulsee
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Barry A. Singer
- The MS Center for Innovations in Care, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carlo Pozzilli
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Celia Oreja-Guevara
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Giancarlo Comi
- Casa di Cura del Policlinico, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Mark S. Freedman
- Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tjalf Ziemssen
- Center of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Dresden, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Xavier Montalban
- Department of Neurology-Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
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Prajjwal P, M.D.M. M, Natarajan B, Inban P, Gadam S, Sowndarya D, John J, Abbas R, Vaja H, A.D.M. M, Amir Hussin O. Juvenile multiple sclerosis: addressing epidemiology, diagnosis, therapeutic, and prognostic updates along with cognitive dysfunction and quality of life. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2023; 85:4433-4441. [PMID: 37663711 PMCID: PMC10473341 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000000930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile multiple sclerosis (JMS) is a rare but significant subtype of multiple sclerosis (MS) that affects a small percentage of patients under the age of 10 and 3-5% of all MS patients. Despite its rarity, JMS poses unique challenges in terms of diagnosis, treatment, and management, as it can significantly impact a child or adolescent's physical, cognitive, and emotional development. JMS presents with a varying spectrum of signs and symptoms such as coordination difficulties and permanent cognitive dysfunctions and may include atypical clinical features such as seizures, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and optic neuritis, making diagnostic evaluations challenging. Whilst the biology of JMS shares similarities with adult-onset MS, there exist notable distinctions in disease progression, clinical manifestations, and ultimate prognoses. The International Pediatric MS Study Group (IPMSSG) was founded in 2005 to improve understanding of JMS, but there remains a lack of knowledge and guidelines on the management of this condition. This review summarizes the current knowledge on JMS, including its epidemiology, clinical presentations, diagnostic challenges, current treatment options, and outcomes. Current treatment options for JMS include disease-modifying therapies, but JMS can also result in impaired quality of life and psychiatric comorbidity, highlighting the need for comprehensive care for affected children. Through gathering and analyzing scattered studies and recent updates on JMS, the authors aim to address the gaps in current knowledge on JMS and provide an improved understanding of appropriate care for affected children. By doing so, this review hopes to contribute to improving the quality of life and outcomes for JMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marsool M.D.M.
- University of Baghdad, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Balaganesh Natarajan
- St. George’s University School of Medicine, University Centre Grenada, West Indies
| | - Pugazhendi Inban
- Internal Medicine, Government Medical College, Omandurar, Chennai
| | - Srikanth Gadam
- Internal Medicine, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Mayo Clinic, USA
| | | | - Jobby John
- Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College and Hospital, Karakonam, Trivandrum
| | - Rahim Abbas
- Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - HariOm Vaja
- Internal Medicine, BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Marsool A.D.M.
- University of Baghdad, Al-Kindy College of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq
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Amezcua L, Livingston T, Hayward B, Zhou J, Williams MJ. Impact of adherence to disease modifying therapies on long-term clinical and economic outcomes in multiple sclerosis: A claims analysis of real-world data. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023; 77:104866. [PMID: 37487345 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurodegenerative inflammatory disease that requires long-term commitment to treatment for optimal outcomes. A variety of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are now available that reduce relapses and delay disease progression in people with MS. However, adherence remains a significant issue, with a variety of mental, physical, and emotional factors contributing to non-adherence. In a large number of studies, non-adherence has been associated with worse clinical outcomes (relapses and disease severity), a higher economic burden, and loss of work productivity. However, many of these studies were short-term (1-2 years) or cross-sectional studies; thus, more data are needed on the long-term clinical and economic impacts of DMT non-adherence. The objective of this study was to determine the longer-term impact of adherence to DMTs on disease activity and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in people with MS. The study hypothesis was that non-adherence to DMTs would be associated long-term with worse clinical outcomes and a higher economic burden. METHODS A retrospective administrative claims analysis of the US MarketScan® Commercial database (2011-2017) in individuals (18-65 years) with MS (based on International Classification of Disease coding) was conducted. Adherence was classified by proportion of days covered (PDC) ≥0.8 and non-adherence by PDC <0.8; sensitivity analyses helped further categorize as moderately (PDC ≥0.6-<0.8) or highly (PDC <0.6) non-adherent. Cohorts were matched using propensity score matching. Time to first relapse, annualized relapse rate (ARR), time to use of assistive devices (cane/walker or wheelchair), and annual HCRU (inpatient, emergency room [ER], outpatient, and MRI visits and costs) were compared between cohorts. RESULTS 10,248 MS cases were identified; 58% met adherence criteria, and 42% met non-adherence criteria. Mean follow-up from diagnosis or first DMT claim was 5.3 years. Adherent individuals had a longer time to first relapse (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.90; p<0.0001), a lower ARR (0.13 vs. 0.18, respectively; rate ratio [RR] 0.75 [95% CI: 0.71-0.79]; p<0.0001), and longer lag times to cane/walker use (HR 0.79 [95% CI: 0.66-0.94]; p=0.0067) and wheelchair use (HR 0.68 [95% CI: 0.55-0.83]; p=0.0002) than non-adherent individuals. Adherent individuals had fewer annual inpatient and ER visits and lower total costs than those who were non-adherent (p<0.0001). Sensitivity analyses showed that differences in disease activity and HCRU were generally more pronounced between matched adherent and highly non-adherent pairs than between matched adherent and moderately non-adherent pairs. CONCLUSION Significant differences in MS disease activity and HCRU were observed based on adherence to DMTs. Our study underscores the negative impact of non-adherence to DMTs on long-term clinical and economic outcomes in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilyana Amezcua
- Department of Neurology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, USA.
| | | | - Brooke Hayward
- One Technology Place, EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, MA, USA
| | - Jia Zhou
- One Technology Place, EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, MA, USA
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Henderson M, Horton DB, Bhise V, Pal G, Bushnell G, Dave CV. Initiation Patterns of Disease-Modifying Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis Among US Adults and Children, 2001 Through 2020. JAMA Neurol 2023; 80:860-867. [PMID: 37428482 PMCID: PMC10334299 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.2125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Importance Many disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have been approved for multiple sclerosis (MS) in the past 2 decades. Research evaluating how these approvals have changed real-world prescribing patterns is scarce. Objective To evaluate patterns in DMT initiations between 2001 and 2020 among commercially insured US adults and children with MS. Design, Setting, and Participants This serial cross-sectional study was conducted from 2001 through 2020 (mean patient enrollment duration, 4.8 years) and used US commercial claims data (MarketScan). Analysis took place between January 2022 and March 2023. Of 287 084 patients with MS identified, 113 583 patients (113 095 adults and 488 children) with MS newly initiated at least 1 DMT. Exposure New initiation episode of a DMT, defined as no claim for the same DMT in the previous year. Main Outcome Measure The proportion of total DMT initiations per year attributable to each DMT. Trends in initiations were evaluated annually. Results The study team identified 153 846 DMT initiation episodes among adults (median age, 46 [IQR, 38-53) years]; 86 133 female [76.2%]) and 583 among children (median age, 16 (IQR, 14-17) years; 346 female [70.9%]). Among adults, use of platform injectables showed an absolute decline of 73.8% over the study period, driven by a 61.2% reduction in interferon β initiations (P < .001 for trend). In contrast, the 2010 introduction of oral DMTs led to a rise in their use from 1.1% (2010) to 62.3% (2020) of all DMT initiations (P = .002 for trend). Infusion therapy initiations remained relatively low, accounting for 3.2% of all initiations since their introduction in 2004 but increased modestly annually after ocrelizumab was introduced (2017), reaching 8.2% of all initiations in 2020 (P < .001 for trend). Children showed similar initiation patterns, except for preferred oral therapy. Between 2019 and 2020, dimethyl fumarate was the most commonly initiated DMT in adults (23.3% to 27.2% of all initiations), while in children fingolimod was the most commonly initiated (34.8% to 68.8%). Conclusions and Relevance Current MS treatment guidelines emphasize shared decision-making between patients and clinicians to balance treatment efficacy, safety, cost, and convenience. This study found that oral DMTs were the predominant DMT type initiated by 2020. The cause of this shift cannot be determined from this study, but may reflect several factors, including convenience of administration, direct-to-consumer advertising, or insurance restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie Henderson
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Daniel B. Horton
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Vikram Bhise
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Gian Pal
- Department of Neurology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Greta Bushnell
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
| | - Chintan V. Dave
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey
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Nij Bijvank JA, Hof SN, Prouskas SE, Schoonheim MM, Uitdehaag BMJ, van Rijn LJ, Petzold A. A novel eye-movement impairment in multiple sclerosis indicating widespread cortical damage. Brain 2023; 146:2476-2488. [PMID: 36535900 PMCID: PMC10232247 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In multiple sclerosis, remyelination trials have yet to deliver success like that achieved for relapse rates with disease course modifying treatment trials. The challenge is to have a clinical, functional outcome measure. Currently, there are none that have been validated, other than visual evoked potentials in optic neuritis. Like vision, quick eye movements (saccades) are heavily dependent on myelination. We proposed that it is possible to extrapolate from demyelination of the medial longitudinal fasciculus in the brainstem to quantitative assessment of cortical networks governing saccadic eye movements in multiple sclerosis. We have developed and validated a double-step saccadic test, which consists of a pair of eye movements towards two stimuli presented in quick succession (the demonstrate eye movement networks with saccades protocol). In this single-centre, cross-sectional cohort study we interrogated the structural and functional relationships of double-step saccades in multiple sclerosis. Data were collected for double-step saccades, cognitive function (extended Rao's Brief Repeatable Battery), disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale) and visual functioning in daily life (National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire). MRI was used to quantify grey matter atrophy and multiple sclerosis lesion load. Multivariable linear regression models were used for analysis of the relationships between double-step saccades and clinical and MRI metrics. We included 209 individuals with multiple sclerosis (mean age 54.3 ± 10.5 years, 58% female, 63% relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis) and 60 healthy control subjects (mean age 52.1 ± 9.2 years, 53% female). The proportion of correct double-step saccades was significantly reduced in multiple sclerosis (mean 0.29 ± 0.22) compared to controls (0.45 ± 0.22, P < 0.001). Consistent with this, there was a significantly larger double-step dysmetric saccadic error in multiple sclerosis (mean vertical error -1.18 ± 1.20°) compared to controls (-0.54 ± 0.86°, P < 0.001). Impaired double-step saccadic metrics were consistently associated with more severe global and local grey matter atrophy (correct responses-cortical grey matter: β = 0.42, P < 0.001), lesion load (vertical error: β = -0.28, P < 0.001), progressive phenotypes, more severe physical and cognitive impairment (correct responses-information processing: β = 0.46, P < 0.001) and visual functioning. In conclusion, double-step saccades represent a robust metric that revealed a novel eye-movement impairment in individuals with multiple sclerosis. Double-step saccades outperformed other saccadic tasks in their statistical relationship with clinical, cognitive and visual functioning, as well as global and local grey matter atrophy. Double-step saccades should be evaluated longitudinally and tested as a potential novel outcome measure for remyelination trials in multiple sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Nij Bijvank
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre and Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Ophthalmology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sam N Hof
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre and Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stefanos E Prouskas
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Menno M Schoonheim
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bernard M J Uitdehaag
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre and Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laurentius J van Rijn
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Ophthalmology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Ophthalmology, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, 1091 AC Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Axel Petzold
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Neurology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, MS Centre and Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Department of Ophthalmology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Neuro-ophthalmology Expertise Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and the Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London EC1V 2PD, UK
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Morgan A, Tallantyre E, Ontaneda D. The benefits and risks of escalation versus early highly effective treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:433-444. [PMID: 37129299 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2208347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, demyelinating, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that affects over 2 million people worldwide. Considerable advances have been made in the availability of disease modifying therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis since their introduction in the 1990s. This has led to debate regarding the optimal first-line treatment approach: a strategy of escalation versus early highly effective treatment. AREAS COVERED This review defines the strategies of escalation and early highly effective treatment, outlines the pros and cons of each, and provides an analysis of both the current literature and expected future directions of the field. EXPERT OPINION There is growing support for using early highly effective treatment as the initial therapeutic approach in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. However, much of this support stems from observational real-world studies that use historic data and lack safety outcomes or randomized control trials that compare individual high versus low-moderate efficacy therapies, instead of the approaches themselves. Randomized control trials (DELIVER-MS, TREAT-MS) are needed to systemically and prospectively compare contemporary escalation versus early highly effective treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Morgan
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Emma Tallantyre
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Daniel Ontaneda
- Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
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Moog TM, Smith AD, Burgess KW, McCreary M, Okuda DT. High-efficacy therapies reduce clinical and radiological events more effectively than traditional treatments in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. J Neurol 2023:10.1007/s00415-023-11710-5. [PMID: 37052668 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11710-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (pwNMOSD) experience debilitating neurological attacks, resulting in permanent disability. OBJECTIVE To evaluate if high-efficacy treatment was better than traditional agents at preventing disease advancement in pwNMOSD. METHODS A retrospective study of pwNMOSD at one academic center was performed. Timelines were created for treatments subjects were exposed to along with clinical/radiological events related to disease worsening. High-efficacy treatments included eculizumab, inebilizumab, satralizumab, rituximab, ocrelizumab, tocilizumab, and sarilumab while therapies such as azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, and mycophenolate mofetil were classified as traditional agents. Poisson regression and mixed effects logistics models were constructed, and a subject-specific random intercept was used for intrasubject correlation. RESULTS Of 189 pwNMOSD identified, 161 were aquaporin-4 IgG positive (AQP4 +) with 92 (77 female; median disease duration (MDD) (range) of 6.6 years (y) (1.2-18.6)) exposed only to high-efficacy therapy, 33 (28 female; 10.4 y (0.8-32.7)) only to traditional therapy, and 64 (54 female; 10.8 y (0.7-20.2)) to both. High-efficacy treatments reduced the rate of MRI advancement by 62.4% (95% CrI = [- 86.9%, - 16.8%]), relapses by 99.8% (95% CrI = [- 99.9%, - 99.6%]), and hospitalizations by 99.3% (95% CrI = [- 99.6%, - 98.8%]) when compared to traditional treatments. For AQP4 + subjects, a 655.7-fold increase in the odds of new spinal cord lesion development (95% CrI = [+ 37.4-fold, + 3239.5-fold]) was observed with traditional agents (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION High-efficacy treatments maximize opportunity for preventing disease advancement in newly diagnosed and established pwNMOSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatum M Moog
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5303 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8806, USA
| | - Alexander D Smith
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5303 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8806, USA
| | - Katy W Burgess
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5303 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8806, USA
| | - Morgan McCreary
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5303 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8806, USA
| | - Darin T Okuda
- Department of Neurology, Neuroinnovation Program, Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5303 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75390-8806, USA.
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Al-Omar HA, Alsowaida N, Aldosari L, Mayet A, Bunyan R, Aljumah M. Exploring physicians' prescribing behavior in patients with multiple sclerosis in Saudi Arabia: a sequential explanatory mixed-methods. BMC Neurol 2023; 23:135. [PMID: 37004011 PMCID: PMC10064662 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-023-03184-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common disabling neurological disease in young adults worldwide with majority of patients manifest symptoms between 20 and 40 years of age. The aims of this study are to explore physicians' perspectives, views, and behaviors in diagnosing and treating patients with MS in Saudi Arabia and investigate the prescribing pattern of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). METHODS A sequential explanatory mixed-method approach was used to achieve the study objectives. The quantitative arm of the study consisted of patient data extracted from the Saudi MS registry from 2015 to 2018. The qualitative study consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews with physicians using a validated interview topic guide comprising 28 open-ended questions. RESULTS We extracted data of 2,507 patients from 20 different hospitals across Saudi Arabia. Patients' mean age was 34 ± 10 years; two-thirds (n = 1,668) were female. 92% (n = 2,292) had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, and 5% (n = 126) had secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis. In general, patients with MS received at least one drug as the DMT or DMTs and corticosteroids for those with relapse. Qualitatively, nine physicians agreed to participate in the interviews. Of them, five (55%) were male and four were female from different regions. Thematic analysis yielded three main themes: practice, views, and challenges. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of MS in Saudi Arabia is raising but is still much lower than that reported in the Gulf region. A national MS guideline is needed to streamline diagnosis and treatment criteria, avoid any delay in treatment, and guide physicians who provide care for patients with MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain Abdulrahman Al-Omar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
- Health Technology Assessment Unit (HTAU), College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Nada Alsowaida
- Department of Pharmacy Services, King Saud University Medical City, P.O. Box: 2457, Riyadh, 11472, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Lama Aldosari
- Department of Pharmacy, Maternity and Children Hospital, Ministry of Health, Al Kharj, 16278, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Mayet
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box: 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reem Bunyan
- Department of Neurology, Neurosciences Center, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Dammam, 32253, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Aljumah
- Department of Neurology, King Fahad Medical City, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, 11525, Saudi Arabia.
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Changes in Retinal Thickness and Brain Volume during 6.8-Year Escalating Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis. Acta Neurol Scand 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/7587221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Background. Different disease-modifying therapies (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS) have disparate effects on disability outcomes. Sweden has a leading position globally in initiating high-efficacy DMT instead of escalating DMT from 1st-line to high-efficacy DMT. With optical coherence tomography (OCT), retinal changes can be measured at a few micrometer level. OCT has been increasingly applied in diagnosing MS and monitoring disease course and therapeutic effect. Objective. We investigate the effects of 1st-line versus high-efficacy DMT for MS on retinal and brain atrophy and on functional outcomes during 6.8 years of escalating DMT. Materials and Methods. In this prospective longitudinal observational study, 18 MS patients were followed up for 6.8 years. Twelve of the patients were untreated at baseline. All patients underwent 1st-line DMT for median duration of 2.4 years and then switched to high-efficacy DMT for a median duration of 2.9 years. Findings from neurological examinations, MRI, and OCT measures were registered 2-4 times per year. Results. Ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness was significantly reduced during 1st-line DMT (73.75 μm,
) compared to baseline (76.38 μm). During high-efficacy DMT, thickness reduction was slower (73.27 μm,
), and MRI contrast-loading lesions vanished (
). However, brain parenchymal fraction (BPF) decreased during high-efficacy DMT compared to 1st-line DMT. Estimated models showed similar results. Conclusion. GCIPL decline was most profound during 1st-line DMT and diminished during high-efficacy DMT. MRI contrast lesions vanished during high-efficacy DMT. However, brain atrophy continued regardless of high-efficacy DMT.
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Ramanathan S, Brilot F, Irani SR, Dale RC. Origins and immunopathogenesis of autoimmune central nervous system disorders. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:172-190. [PMID: 36788293 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00776-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The field of autoimmune neurology is rapidly evolving, and recent discoveries have advanced our understanding of disease aetiologies. In this article, we review the key pathogenic mechanisms underlying the development of CNS autoimmunity. First, we review non-modifiable risk factors, such as age, sex and ethnicity, as well as genetic factors such as monogenic variants, common variants in vulnerability genes and emerging HLA associations. Second, we highlight how interactions between environmental factors and epigenetics can modify disease onset and severity. Third, we review possible disease mechanisms underlying triggers that are associated with the loss of immune tolerance with consequent recognition of self-antigens; these triggers include infections, tumours and immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Fourth, we outline how advances in our understanding of the anatomy of lymphatic drainage and neuroimmune interfaces are challenging long-held notions of CNS immune privilege, with direct relevance to CNS autoimmunity, and how disruption of B cell and T cell tolerance and the passage of immune cells between the peripheral and intrathecal compartments have key roles in initiating disease activity. Last, we consider novel therapeutic approaches based on our knowledge of the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudarshini Ramanathan
- Translational Neuroimmunology Group, Kids Neuroscience Centre, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Fabienne Brilot
- Translational Neuroimmunology Group, Kids Neuroscience Centre, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarosh R Irani
- Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Russell C Dale
- Translational Neuroimmunology Group, Kids Neuroscience Centre, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- TY Nelson Department of Paediatric Neurology, Children's Hospital Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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Fakih AU, Sahraian MA, Paybast S, Naser Moghadasi A. Effectiveness and safety of switching from fingolimod and natalizumab to rituximab in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023; 71:104564. [PMID: 36863084 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Natalizumab and fingolimod are well-established, sequestrating disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), widely used as a second-line treatment in patients with relapse remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, there is no standard strategy for managing treatment failure on these agents. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of rituximab after natalizumab and fingolimod withdrawal. METHODS A retrospective cohort was accomplished on RRMS patients treated with natalizumab and fingolimod who were switched to rituximab. RESULTS 100 patients (50 cases in each group) were analyzed. After six months of follow-up, a substantial decline in clinical relapse and disability progression was observed in both groups. However, no significant change was demonstrated in the pattern of MRI activity (P = 1.000) in natalizumab pretreated patients. After adjusting for the baseline characteristics, a head-to-head comparison found a non-significant trend of lower EDSS in the pretreated fingolimod group compared to those previously treated with natalizumab(P = 0.057). However, in terms of clinical relapse and MRI activity, the clinical outcomes were comparable in both groups ((P = 0.194), (P = 0.957). Moreover, rituximab was well-tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION The present study revealed the effectiveness of rituximab as an appropriate alternative option for escalation therapy after fingolimod and natalizumab discontinuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ussama Fakih
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Sahraian
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Paybast
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Abdorreza Naser Moghadasi
- Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Vudumula U, Patidar M, Gudala K, Karpf E, Adlard N. Evaluating the impact of early vs delayed ofatumumab initiation and estimating the long-term outcomes of ofatumumab vs teriflunomide in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients in Spain. J Med Econ 2023; 26:11-18. [PMID: 36472139 DOI: 10.1080/13696998.2022.2151270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the impact of early (at first-line) vs delayed (3-year delay) ofatumumab initiation and long-term clinical, societal, and economic outcomes of ofatumumab vs teriflunomide in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) patients from a Spanish societal perspective. METHODS A cost-consequence analysis was conducted using an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)-based Markov model. Inputs were sourced from ASCLEPIOS I and II trials and published literature. RESULTS At the end of 10 years, compared with first-line teriflunomide treatment, early first-line ofatumumab initiation was projected to result in 35.6% fewer patients progressing to EDSS ≥ 7 and 27.8% fewer relapses. The ofatumumab cohort required 7.3% reduced informal care time and had 19% fewer disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) than the teriflunomide cohort. A 3-year delay in ofatumumab treatment (3-year teriflunomide + 7-year ofatumumab) was projected to result in 32.2% more patients progressing to EDSS ≥ 7, 20.2% more relapses, 5.4% increased informal care time, and 16.6% more DALYs compared with early ofatumumab initiation. Early ofatumumab initiation was associated with total annual cost savings (excluding disease-modifying-therapies' acquisition costs) of €35,328 ($34,549; conversion factor 1€= $1.02255) and €24,373 ($23,836) per patient vs teriflunomide and 3-year delayed ofatumumab initiation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the benefits of early initiation of high-efficacy therapy such as ofatumumab vs its delayed initiation for improving the outcomes in RMS patients (having characteristics similar to those of patients included in the ASCLEPIOS trials). Ofatumumab treatment was projected to provide improved long-term clinical, societal, and economic outcomes vs teriflunomide treatment in RMS patients from a Spanish societal perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mausam Patidar
- Patient Access Services, Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad, India
| | - Kapil Gudala
- Patient Access Services, Novartis Healthcare Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad, India
| | | | - Nicholas Adlard
- Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
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