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Singer BA, Feng J, Chiong-Rivero H. Early use of high-efficacy therapies in multiple sclerosis in the United States: benefits, barriers, and strategies for encouraging adoption. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12305-4. [PMID: 38615277 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12305-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by progressive neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration from disease onset that, if left untreated, can result in the accumulation of irreversible neurological disability. Early intervention with high-efficacy therapies (HETs) is increasingly recognized as the best strategy to delay or mitigate disease progression from the earliest stages of the disease and to prevent long-term neurodegeneration. Although there is growing clinical and real-world evidence supporting early HET intervention, foregoing this strategy in favor of a traditional escalation approach prioritizing lower-efficacy disease-modifying therapies remains a common approach in clinical practice. This review explores potential health care professional- and patient-related barriers to the early use of HETs in patients with MS in the United States. Barriers can include regulatory and reimbursement restrictions; knowledge gaps and long-term safety concerns among health care professionals; and various individual, cultural, and societal factors affecting patients. Potential strategies for overcoming these barriers and encouraging early HET use are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry A Singer
- The MS Center for Innovations in Care, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Jenny Feng
- Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Carnero Contentti E, López PA, Pappolla A, Alonso R, Silva B, Deri N, Balbuena ME, Burgos M, Luetic G, Alvez Pinheiro A, Cabrera M, Hryb J, Nofal P, Pestchanker C, Vrech C, Tavolini D, Tkachuk V, Zanga G, Marrodan M, Ysrraelit MC, Correale J, Carrá A, Federico B, Garcea O, Fernandez Liguori N, Patrucco L, Cristiano E, Giunta D, Alonso Serena M, Rojas JI. Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis who received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and are under treatment with high-efficacy therapies in Argentina. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:379-389. [PMID: 38159147 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07282-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in people with MS (PwMS) on high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (HET) included in the national MS registry in Argentina (RelevarEM). METHODS Non-interventional, retrospective cohort study that collected information directly from RelevarEM. Adult PwMS who had been treated for at least 6 months with a HET (ocrelizumab, natalizumab, alemtuzumab, cladribine) who had received at least two doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines available in Argentina were included. Full course of vaccination was considered after the second dose of the corresponding vaccines. Cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported for the whole cohort by Kaplan-Meier survival curves (which is expressed in percentage) as well as incidence density (which is expressed per 10.000 patients/day with 95% CI). RESULTS Two hundred twenty-eight PwMS were included. Most frequent first and second dose received was AstraZeneca vaccine, followed by Sputnik vaccine. Most frequent HETs used in included patients were cladribine in 79 (34.8%). We found an incidence density of breakthrough COVID-19 infection of 3.5 × 10.000 patients/day (95% CI 2.3-6.7) after vaccination in Argentina. We described the incidence rate after vaccination for every HET used, it being significantly higher for ocrelizumab compared with other HETs (p = 0.005). Only five patients presented a relapse during the follow-up period with no differences regarding the pre-vaccination period. CONCLUSIONS We found an incidence density of breakthrough COVID-19 infection of 3.5 × 10.000 patients/day (95% CI 2.3-6.7) after vaccination in Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Carnero Contentti
- Department of Neurosciences, Neuroimmunology Unit, Hospital Aleman, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Pablo A López
- Department of Neurosciences, Neuroimmunology Unit, Hospital Aleman, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Pappolla
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Alonso
- Hospital Ramos Mejía, Centro Universitario de Esclerosis Múltiple, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Sanatorio Güemes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Berenice Silva
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Hospital Ramos Mejía, Centro Universitario de Esclerosis Múltiple, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Norma Deri
- Centro de Investigaciones Diabaid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Hospital Fernandez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María E Balbuena
- Sección de Neuroinmunología y Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcos Burgos
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital San Bernardo, Salta, Argentina
| | - Geraldine Luetic
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Rosario, San Lorenzo, Rosario, Santa Fé, Argentina
| | | | | | - Javier Hryb
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Carlos G Durand, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pedro Nofal
- Hospital de Clínicas Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Claudia Pestchanker
- Neurology Department, Hospital Central Dr. Ramon Carrillo, San Luis, Argentina
| | - Carlos Vrech
- Departamento de Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Sanatorio Allende, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Verónica Tkachuk
- Sección de Neuroinmunología y Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gisela Zanga
- Departamento de Neurología, Hospital Cesar Milstein, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Jorge Correale
- Departamento de Neurología, FLENI, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adriana Carrá
- Sección de Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Hospital Universitario Fundación Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Orlando Garcea
- Hospital Ramos Mejía, Centro Universitario de Esclerosis Múltiple, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Liliana Patrucco
- Centro de Esclerosis Múltiple de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Edgardo Cristiano
- Centro de Esclerosis Múltiple de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Diego Giunta
- Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Alonso Serena
- Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan I Rojas
- Centro de Esclerosis Múltiple de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Servicio de Neurología, Unidad de EM y Enfermedades Desmielinizantes, Hospital Universitario de CEMIC, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Newsome SD, Binns C, Kaunzner UW, Morgan S, Halper J. No Evidence of Disease Activity (NEDA) as a Clinical Assessment Tool for Multiple Sclerosis: Clinician and Patient Perspectives [Narrative Review]. Neurol Ther 2023; 12:1909-1935. [PMID: 37819598 PMCID: PMC10630288 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-023-00549-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of high-efficacy therapies for multiple sclerosis (MS), which target inflammation more effectively than traditional disease-modifying therapies, has led to a shift in MS management towards achieving the outcome assessment known as no evidence of disease activity (NEDA). The most common NEDA definition, termed NEDA-3, is a composite of three related measures of disease activity: no clinical relapses, no disability progression, and no radiological activity. NEDA has been frequently used as a composite endpoint in clinical trials, but there is growing interest in its use as an assessment tool to help patients and healthcare professionals navigate treatment decisions in the clinic. Raising awareness about NEDA may therefore help patients and clinicians make more informed decisions around MS management and improve overall MS care. This review aims to explore the potential utility of NEDA as a clinical decision-making tool and treatment target by summarizing the literature on its current use in the context of the expanding treatment landscape. We identify current challenges to the use of NEDA in clinical practice and detail the proposed amendments, such as the inclusion of alternative outcomes and biomarkers, to broaden the clinical information captured by NEDA. These themes are further illustrated with the real-life perspectives and experiences of our two patient authors with MS. This review is intended to be an educational resource to support discussions between clinicians and patients on this evolving approach to MS-specialized care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott D Newsome
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 North Wolfe Street, Pathology 627, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
| | - Cherie Binns
- Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 6520 N Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33309, USA
| | | | - Seth Morgan
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1 M Street SE, Suite 510, Washington, DC, 20003, USA
| | - June Halper
- Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, 3 University Plaza Drive Suite A, Hackensack, NJ, 07601, USA
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Abstract
Purpose of review This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the current high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) available for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). We discuss the existing approved and emerging therapeutics in patients with relapsing and progressive forms of MS using data from clinical trials and observational studies. Treatment considerations in pediatric and pregnant populations are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss the treatment paradigms of the escalation and early aggressive approaches to treatment of MS, with review of ongoing clinical trials to compare these approaches. Recent findings Natalizumab has shown promising data on efficacy in not only randomized trials but also observational studies when compared with placebo, the injectable DMTs, and fingolimod. The anti-CD20 B cell depleting therapies (rituximab, ocrelizumab, and ofatumumab) have also demonstrated superiority in randomized clinical trials compared to their comparator group (placebo, interferon, and teriflunomide, respectively) and rituximab has shown in observational studies to be more effective than older injectable therapies and some of the oral therapies. Alemtuzumab has shown good efficacy in randomized controlled trials and observational studies yet has several potentially severe side effects limiting its use. Mitoxantrone has similarly demonstrated significant reduction in new disease activity compared to placebo but is rarely used due to its severe side effects. Cladribine is an oral DMT often grouped in discussion with other higher efficacy DMTs but may be slightly less effective than the other therapies described in this review. Many emerging targets for therapeutic intervention are currently under investigation that may prove to be beneficial in early aggressive MS, including autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Summary Traditionally, MS has been treated with an escalation approach, starting patients on a modestly effective DMT and subsequently escalating to a higher efficacy DMT when there is evidence of clinical and/or radiologic breakthrough activity. With the development of higher efficacy therapies and emerging data showing the potential positive long-term impact of these therapies when started earlier in the disease course, many clinicians have shifted to an early aggressive treatment approach in which patients are initially started on a higher efficacy DMT. Two clinical trials, the TRaditional versus Early Aggressive Therapy for MS (TREAT-MS) trial and the Determining the Effectiveness of earLy Intensive Versus Escalation approaches for the treatment of Relapsing-remitting MS (DELIVER-MS) trial, aim to directly compare these treatment strategies and their impact on clinical and radiologic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Simpson
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Ellen M Mowry
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Scott D Newsome
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.,Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe St., Pathology 627, Baltimore, MD 21287 USA
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