Improvements in quality of life over 2 years with cladribine tablets in people with relapsing multiple sclerosis: The CLARIFY-MS study

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) negatively affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate HRQoL in people with highly active relapsing MS treated with cladribine tablets (CladT; 3.5 mg/kg cumulative dose over 2 years) in CLARIFY-MS.

METHODS

Changes in the MS quality of life (MSQoL)-54 scores were analysed using a repeated mixed-effects linear model. Subgroup analyses were performed for participants who were pretreatment-naïve and those pretreated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) before initiating CladT. Safety and tolerability of CladT were also assessed.

RESULTS

MSQoL-54 physical (mean change = 4.86; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.18, 6.53) and mental health (4.80; 95% CI = 3.13, 6.46) composite scores (primary endpoints) showed significant improvement at Month 24 versus Baseline (p < 0.0001). Changes in the MSQoL-54 scores were consistent across the pretreatment-naïve and DMT-pretreated subgroups. No new severe or opportunistic infections occurred. Most post-baseline lymphopenia events were Grade 1-2 in severity. Transient Grade-3 lymphopenia was observed in 19.7% (95/482) of participants. Grade-4 lymphopenia was not observed.

CONCLUSIONS

CladT treatment significantly improved the mean MSQoL-54 physical and mental health composite scores over 2 years. CladT efficacy in HRQoL, relapse rates and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores demonstrates its multidimensional effects in MS treatment.

Efficiency of the original flavonoids composition based on Curcumin in chronic alcohol intoxication

Introduction

Multiple tissue and organ damage induced by ethanol toxic effects requires prescription of a wide range of drugs that have a positive symptomatic effect, while simultaneously increasing the toxic load on the body, which necessitates the search for new approaches to the therapy of alcoholism, possibly with the use of parapharmaceuticals.

Objectives

The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of curcuminoids, as well as their ability to influence the epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation, can provide a positive therapeutic effect in alcoholism by influencing the pathogenetic mechanisms of this pathology, which determines the relevance and prospects of studying their effects during chronic ethanol intoxication.

Methods

(CBAxC57Bl/6) F1 male mice with 6-month 10% ethanol exposure were undergoing administration of original composition of flavonoids based on Curcumin for 40 days. Animal’s alcohol consumption, behavior and immune parameters were estimated.

Results

As a result of flavonoids original composition administration, correction of the changes in the nervous system functional activity, caused by the chronic toxic effect of ethanol has been achieved (decrease in alcoholic motivation, exploratory behavior stimulation, modulation of the cytokines level in brain, indicating a neuroinflammation decrease). We also registered the immune system functional activity modulation (stimulation of immune response and lymphocytes proliferative activity) in mice with alcohol dependence.

Conclusions

The original composition of flavonoids against the background of long-term alcohol consumption has a positive psychoneuroimmunomodulatory effect, which serves as an experimental substantiation of the prospects of using the composition as an adjuvant in the treatment of chronic alcoholism.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

[The effect of corneal incision method on astigmatism after cataract extraction]

PURPOSE

To assess the effect of the type of corneal incision and its closure on astigmatism after cataract extraction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Induced astigmatism was evaluated in 94 eyes after cataract extraction with IOL implantation 7 days, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after operation. 3 groups: were compared I--after extracapsular extraction with corneo-scleral incision (10 h-2 h) and continuous cross-like suture, II--after phacoemulsifications with scleral tunnel incision (3.3 mm) without suture.

RESULTS

The highest induced astigmatism was observed 7 days after surgery in patients with the longest corneo-scleral incision with suture (group I). Induced astigmatism gradually decreased in time. In group after phacoemulsification especially with no suture low astigmatism with prompt stabilization was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The length and type of closure of the incision have an essential effect on induced astigmatism. Small incision, especially without suture induces minimal early postoperative astigmatism which remains stabile.

[Corneal astigmatism after cataract extraction: differences between the continuous x-shaped suture and the single knot stitch]

The author examined the postoperative astigmatism in 70 eyes of patients subjected to an extracapsular extraction with implantation of a posterior chamber lens in postoperative periods of 14 days, 3, 6 and 12 months. Compared were 2 groups of eyes with different methods of wound closure: by single knot stitches and by a continuous x-shaped suture. The degree of astigmatism showed to be higher in the 6 first postoperative months in the group of single knot stitches but after 6 months it became levelled with the degree of astigmatism detected in the group of continuous x-shaped suture.