OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence and the prevalence of neutralising antibodies (NABs) to three interferon beta (IFNbeta) products in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS Sera were tested from 125 patients with relapsing-remitting MS. Patients were treated with IFNbeta-1b (Betaferon, n = 29) 8 MIU subcutaneously every other day, IFNbeta-1a (Avonex, n = 44) 30 microg intramuscularl...

BACKGROUND Interferon beta 1b (Betaferon) and 1a (Avonex) were licensed in Italy for treating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in February 1996 and August 1997, respectively. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of these agents on the basis of clinical experience in northern Italian multiple sclerosis centres. DESIGN Clinical data on patients with relapsing-remitting multiple scle...

BACKGROUND Long-term therapies such as disease modifying therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) demand high levels of medication adherence in order to reach acceptable outcomes. The objective of this study was to describe adherence to four disease modifying drugs (DMDs) among statutorily insured patients within two years following treatment initiation. These drugs were interferon beta-1a i.m. (Avo...

INTRODUCTION Adherence to treatment, including early treatment discontinuation, in patients with multiple sclerosis or clinically isolated syndrome can be affected by: treatment tolerability, route of drug administration, patient age, disease duration, comorbidities, medical care, and support from their caregivers. AIM This study aimed to identify the risk factors for poor adherence to Betafe...

patients and methods in this study, a total of 92 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (rrms) were randomly allocated into three equal groups; each treatment group received one of the foregoing drugs (cinnovexr, rebif and betaferon) for one year. at the beginning and end of the study, patients ‘ edss was measured and compared. results in this study, the relative frequency of fem...

Background: The present study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety profile of Ziferon and Betaferon. Objectives: In total, 41 consecutive patients with relapsing forms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) were selected from the MS outpatient clinic affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Methods: Each group either received Z...

Interferon beta (IFNb) preparations are commonly used as first-line therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). They are, however, characterized by limited efficacy, partly due to the formation of anti-IFNb antibodies in patients.In this pilot study, we assessed with the ELISA method the presence of the binding antibodies (BAbs) against interferon beta after 2 years of therapy wit...

BACKGROUND MxA gene expression is one of the most appropriate markers of biological activity of exogenous interferon (IFN) beta. METHODS We quantified MxA mRNA for five consecutive days in 62 patients treated with IFN beta (16, Avonex; 10, Betaferon; 24, Rebif 22; 12, Rebif 44), by quantitative-competitive polymerase chain reaction. Every three months, IFN beta induced neutralising antibodies...

The aim of the study was to analyze the usefulness and side effects of treatment with interferon beta 1B (Betaferon) in patients with the relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The study included 32 RRMS patients that had completed two-year therapy with interferon beta 1B or were still receiving this therapy. Every six months, patients were clinically evaluated and scored by the...