Efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis: Real-world experience of two Swiss multiple sclerosis centers

BACKGROUND

Ocrelizumab (OCR) is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD-20 positive lymphocytes, mainly B-lymphocytes. OCR is approved for treatment of primary progressive (PPMS) and relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). This study aims to provide real-world safety and efficacy data of people with RMS treated with OCR in two Swiss Multiple Sclerosis (MS) centers.

METHODS

We have conducted a retrospective data analysis using the patient cohorts from the Cantonal Hospital Aarau and Bern University Hospital (RMS: n = 235). Statistical analyses were performed with Mann-Whitney U-Test, Chi-squared test and Spearman-Rho-Correlation. Adjustment for multiple testing was performed by Bonferroni procedure.

RESULTS

After initiation of OCR, there was a decrease in disease activity in RMS patients. In our study, 152/190 (80.0 %) RMS patients fulfilled the criteria for NEDA-3 12 months and 88/104 (84.6 %) showed NEDA-3 24 months after OCR initiation. The most frequent adverse events (AEs) in our study were infections, taking place in 78/235 (33.2 %) RMS patients. COVID-19 was the most common infection, followed by urinary infections and other respiratory infections and infectious adverse events occurred significantly more frequent in patients with reduced IgG serum concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our real-world study showed OCR being associated with low rates of any type of MS disease activity as indicated by NEDA-3. The adverse event profile is comparable to the known events especially infections and an association between infections and reduced IgG serum concentration was found.

Hypogammaglobulinemia: A contributing factor to multiple sclerosis fatigue?

OBJECTIVE

Fatigue is one of the most disabling and difficult to treat symptoms of autoimmune diseases and frequently presents in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Hypogammaglobulinemia for immunoglobulin G (IgG) affects approximately 8-25% of PwMS. We performed a retrospective analysis to investigate the association of MS-fatigue and IgG hypogammaglobulinemia.

METHODS

PwMS, treated at Eginition University Hospital Athens or at the University Hospital Bern, were included (n = 134 patients (Bern n = 99; Athens n = 35)). Mann Whitney U-test (MWT), ANOVA test, Chi² test and multivariable linear regression models were run.

RESULTS

97/134 (72.4%) PwMS reported fatigue. In the multivariable linear regression analysis, IgG serum concentration (-1.6, 95%CI -2.7 - -0.5, p = 0.006), daytime sleepiness (0.8, 95%CI 0.2-1.4, p = 0.009), and a depressive mood (1.1, 95%CI 0.8-1.4, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with fatigue. The impact of IgG serum concentration (-2.9 95%CI -4.7 - -1.1, p = 0.002) remained significant also in the subcohort of PwMS without depressive symptoms or daytime sleepiness.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an association between IgG hypogammaglobulinemia and fatigue in PwMS (Level of Evidence IV), which might be translated to other autoimmune diseases. It bears a potential therapeutic consequence considering IgG supplementation strategies, if our finding can be validated prospectively.

Specific aspects of immunotherapy for multiple sclerosis in Switzerland: A structured commentary

More than a dozen substances are meanwhile available for the disease-modifying immunotherapy of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, for some substances, there is a clear difference between approval in Switzerland (Swissmedic) and neighboring countries (European Medicines Agency (EMA)). In addition, limitations imposed by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health in the specialties list (SL) have significant effects on use in daily clinical practice. In the following, we present consensus recommendations, which were reviewed and agreed upon by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Swiss Neurological Society. We explicitly focus on practice-relevant differences in the approval of MS immunotherapies in Switzerland compared with the EMA area and discuss further limitations (SL) and their impact on the use in clinical practice. Immunotherapies with the same approval in Switzerland and the EMA area and symptomatic therapies are not discussed here.

The epidemiology and characteristics of type 2 diabetes in urban, community-based young people

As little is known about the impact of type 2 diabetes amongst Australian youth despite international increases in childhood obesity, we aimed to identify and characterize people aged<25 years with type 2 diabetes in an urban community with 60,000 people aged 10-24 years. The estimated maximum prevalence (59/100,000 persons) was lower than US estimates but higher than in Asia and Europe. In eight patients assessed in detail, obesity and related comorbidities were common, and quality of life was low.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade and urinary albumin excretion in community-based patients with Type 2 diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study

AIMS

To determine whether the reduction in urinary albumin excretion through renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade found in intervention trials extends to community-based patients with Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

We analysed data from 302 participants in the longitudinal observational Fremantle Diabetes Study who commenced angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker therapy during follow-up and who had an annual assessment on either side of this therapeutic change.

RESULTS

At baseline, the patients had a mean age of 63.8 years, a median diabetes duration of 4 years, a median HbA(1c) of 7.6% (60 mmol/mol) and a geometric mean (sd range) urinary albumin:creatinine ratio of 3.3 mg/mmol (0.8-13.1 mg/mmol). The percentages with normo-, micro- and macroalbuminuria were 49.0, 38.4 and 12.6%, respectively. During 6.1 ± 1.7 years of follow-up, initiation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade was associated with a larger geometric mean (sd range) absolute albumin:creatinine ratio reduction in the patients with macroalbuminuria compared with those who had either normo- or microalbuminuria [-40.9 (-825.7 to 159.9) mg/mmol) vs. 1.7 (-1.6 to 20.0) mg/mmol and -0.5 (-23.0 to 39.5) mg/mmol, respectively; P < 0.001]. These changes remained significant after adjustment for changes in blood pressure and other potentially confounding variables, including drug dose and angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype. The post-treatment median albumin:creatinine ratios were 35.4 and 27.4% lower than before treatment in those with micro- or macroalbuminuria, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Usual-care initiation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade confers a quantitatively similar renal benefit to that in intervention trials in Type 2 diabetes.

Prevalence and predictors of osteopenia and osteoporosis in adults with Type 1 diabetes

AIMS

To determine the prevalence and biochemical/hormonal determinants of osteopenia and osteoporosis in adults with Type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

One hundred and two patients (52 female, 50 male) with Type 1 diabetes aged 20-71 years underwent cross-sectional assessment of biochemical/hormonal markers of bone metabolism, and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement at forearm, hip and spine using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. BMD data were available for 102 age- and gender-matched population-based control subjects.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), osteopenia and osteoporosis were more common at the spine in males with Type 1 diabetes than in control subjects (P = 0.030). In Type 1 males, after adjustment for age and BMI, BMD, T- and Z-scores at the hip, femoral neck and spine were lower compared with age-matched control subjects (P < or = 0.048). Female Type 1 patients and control subjects had similar BMDs and T- and Z-scores at all sites. On multiple linear regression analysis, which adjusted for the natural logarithm of the sex hormone binding globulin concentration, smoking status and alcohol consumption, and (for women) menopausal status, each of BMI, serum ionized calcium and serum alkaline phosphatase (negatively) were independently associated with BMD at the hip and femoral neck in Type 1 diabetic subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult males with Type 1 diabetes have reduced bone density at the hip, femoral neck and spine when compared with age-matched control subjects. Impaired bone formation may occur in Type 1 diabetes.