Glatiramer acetate (copolymer 1) was licensed in the USA in 1996 for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. In order to assess its efficacy, a meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials was performed. Two double-blind studies, accounting for a total number of 299 patients, contribute to this analysis. Patients undergoing the treatment have decreased probability of relap...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of BHT-3009 in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and to confirm that BHT-3009 causes immune tolerance. METHODS BHT-3009 is a tolerizing DNA vaccine for MS, encoding full-length human myelin basic protein. Relapsing-remitting MS patients were randomized 1:1:1 into three groups: placebo, 0.5 mg BHT-3009, or 1.5 mg BHT-3009, given intramusc...

BACKGROUND Many patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with high-dose interferon-β (IFNβ) develop serum binding antibodies (BAb) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). NAb reduces the biological activity of IFNβ, which contributes to clinical failure in these patients. We investigated whether access to antibody (Ab) test results would alter usual care of (IFNβ)-treated pa...

Natalizumab, a highly specific α4-integrin antagonist, is approved for treatment of patients with active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). It is generally recommended for individuals who have not responded to a currently available first-line disease-modifying therapy or who have very active disease. The expected benefits of natalizumab treatment have to be weighed against risks, es...

BACKGROUND The participation of neurologists and patients in studies on the effectiveness and safety of newly authorized drugs in multiple sclerosis (MS) is insufficient. Monthly online self-assessments using patient-reported outcomes may help in short-term monitoring of neurological changes and side effects. OBJECTIVE Investigate in relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients the adherence to month...

INTRODUCTION Many patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are currently receiving treatment with interferon beta (IFNb) and glatiramer acetate (GA). Identifying nonresponders patients is important to define therapy strategies. Several criteria for treatment response to IFNb and GA have been proposed. OBJECTIVE It was to investigate the response to treatment with IFNb-1a, IFNb-1b and GA among re...

The history of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been focused primarily on T cells. Nevertheless, T lymphocytes directed approaches miss to understand the complexity underlying the progressive disease. Novel evidences triggered both laboratory and clinical research in an attempt to pursue this possible mechanism of action and improve therapeutic options for patients with MS. For several years, there ...

OBJECTIVE To validate the use of the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) as a practical imaging marker of demyelination and remyelination in acute multiple sclerosis lesions. DESIGN Case study. SETTING University hospital multiple sclerosis clinic. Patients Six patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and acute gadolinium-enhancing lesions were studied serially using a quantitati...

Relapses, exacerbations or attacks of multiple sclerosis are the dominating feature of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), but are also observed in patients with secondary progressive MS. High-dose methylprednisolone is the routine therapy for relapses at present, but other treatments are also in current use. The objective of the task force was to review the literature on treatment of ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are often emotionally disturbed. We investigated anger in these patients in relation to demographic, clinical, and mood characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS About 195 cognitively unimpaired MS patients (150 relapsing-remitting and 45 progressive) were evaluated with the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory, the Chicago Multiscale Depr...