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Background: In the absence of evidence from randomised controlled trials, observational data can be used to emulate clinical trials and guide clinical decisions. Observational studies are, however, susceptible to confounding and bias. Among the used techniques to reduce indication bias are propensity score matching and marginal structural models. Objective: To use the comparative effectiveness of fingolimod vs natalizumab to compare the results obtained with propensity score matching and marginal structural models. Methods: Patients with clinically isolated syndrome or relapsing remitting MS who were treated with either fingolimod or natalizumab were identified in the MSBase registry. Patients were propensity score matched, and inverse probability of treatment weighted at six monthly intervals, using the following variables: age, sex, disability, MS duration, MS course, prior relapses, and prior therapies. Studied outcomes were cumulative hazard of relapse, disability accumulation, and disability improvement. Results: 4608 patients (1659 natalizumab, 2949 fingolimod) fulfilled inclusion criteria, and were propensity score matched or repeatedly reweighed with marginal structural models. Natalizumab treatment was associated with a lower probability of relapse (PS matching: HR 0.67 [95% CI 0.62-0.80]; marginal structural model: 0.71 [0.62-0.80]), and higher probability of disability improvement (PS matching: 1.21 [1.02 -1.43]; marginal structural model 1.43 1.19 -1.72]). There was no evidence of a difference in the magnitude of effect between the two methods. Conclusions: The relative effectiveness of two therapies can be efficiently compared by either marginal structural models or propensity score matching when applied in clearly defined clinical contexts and in sufficiently powered cohorts.

Amaç: Yaşam kalitesi üzerindeki etkilerine rağmen, multipl sklerozda mizaç ve karakter yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Mizaç ve karakter boyutlarını, i, bunların klinik özelliklerle ilişkisini ve depresyon şiddetini etkileyen faktörleri tekrarlayan ve düzelen multiple skleroz (TDMS) hastalarında incelemeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu kesitsel çalışmaya, elverişli örnekleme yöntemiyle 67 hasta (erkek/kadın=12/55) (medyan yaş=30 (18-53)) ve yaş ve cinsiyet açısından eşleştirilmiş 50 sağlıklı kontrol (SK) (erkek/kadın=16/34) (medyan yaş= 26.5 (18-60)) alındı. Mizaç ve Karakter Envanteri, Beck Depresyon ve Beck Anksiyete Envanterleri, DSM-Eksen I Bozuklukları için Yapılandırılmış Klinik Görüşme uygulandı. Bulgular: Hasta grubu içinde, psikiyatrik komorbiditesi olan 45 (MSP), psikiyatrik komorbiditesi olmayan (MSO) 22 hasta bulunuyordu. MSP grubu, MSO grubuna ve SK’lere göre daha yüksek kendilik kaybı gösterdi. MSP grubu ve MSO grubu toplam zarardan kaçınma puanları SK’lere kıyasla yüksekti. Toplam kendini yönetme puanları MSP grubunda SK’lerden düşüktü. EDSS, hastalık süresi, toplam nüks sayısı depresyon şiddetini etkilemezken; yüksek anksiyete (Β=0,416) ve düşük amaçlılık düzeyleri (Β=-1,565) depresyon düzeyini anlamlı derecede etkilemekteydi (R2=0.50, F=32.459). Sonuç: Komorbid psikiyatrik bozukluğu olan ve olmayan hastalar arasında mizaç ve karakter özellikleri açısından farklılıklar gözlendi. Artmış anksiyete düzeyleri; anlamlı hedefler belirleme ve bunlara ulaşmada güçlük, artmış depresyon düzeyleriyle ilişkili olabilir. Gelecek çalışmalar, daha geniş örneklemlerde, baş etme, sağlık davranışları ve dayanıklılığın kendilik kaybı ve psikiyatrik bozukluklar arasındaki aracı ve düzenleyici rolünü inceleyerek, psikiyatrik bozukluklara yönelik müdahalelerin tanımlanmasına yardımcı olabilir. Anksiyete belirtilerinin etkin tedavisi ve yaşam amaçlarının ele alınması, davranışsal müdahalelerin planlanması için olası hedeflerdir.

Background: effectiveness of cladribine tablets, an oral disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS), was established in clinical trials and confirmed with real-world experience. Objectives: use real-world data to compare treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in people with MS (pwMS) treated with cladribine tablets versus other oral DMTs. Methods: retrospective treatment comparisons were based on data from the international MSBase registry. Eligible pwMS started treatment with cladribine, fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, or teriflunomide tablets from 2018 to mid-2021 and were censored at treatment discontinuation/switch, death, loss to follow-up, pregnancy, or study period end. Treatment persistence was evaluated as time to discontinuation/switch; relapse outcomes included time to first relapse and annualized relapse rate (ARR). Results: cohorts included 633 pwMS receiving cladribine tablets, 1195 receiving fingolimod, 912 receiving dimethyl fumarate, and 735 receiving teriflunomide. Individuals treated with fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, or teriflunomide switched treatment significantly more quickly than matched cladribine tablet cohorts (adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 4.00 (2.54-6.32), 7.04 (4.16-11.93), and 6.52 (3.79-11.22), respectively). Cladribine tablet cohorts had significantly longer time-to-treatment discontinuation, time to first relapse, and lower ARR, compared with other oral DMT cohorts. Conclusion: cladribine tablets were associated with a significantly greater real-world treatment persistence and more favorable relapse outcomes than all oral DMT comparators., Financial support for this study was provided entirely by a contract with EMD Serono Research & Development Institute, Inc., Billerica, MA, USA, an affiliate of Merck KGaA (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100004755). The funding agreement ensured the authors’ independence in designing the study, interpreting the data, writing, and publishing the report. The following authors are employed by the sponsor: NT and SLW.

Background and purpose: This study assessed the effect of patient characteristics on the response to disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in multiple sclerosis (MS).Methods: We extracted data from 61,810 patients from 135 centers across 35 countries from the MSBase registry. The selection criteria were: clinically isolated syndrome or definite MS, follow -up >= 1 year, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score >= 3, with >= 1 score recorded per year. Marginal structural models with interaction terms were used to compare the hazards of 12 -month confirmed worsening and improvement of disability, and the incidence of relapses between treated and untreated patients stratified by their characteristics.Results: Among 24,344 patients with relapsing MS, those on DMTs experienced 48% reduction in relapse incidence (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.45- 0.60), 46% lower risk of disability worsening (HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.41- 0.71), and 32% greater chance of disability improvement (HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.09- 1.59). The effect of DMTs on EDSS worsening and improvement and the risk of relapses was attenuated with more severe disability. The magnitude of the effect of DMT on suppressing relapses declined with higher prior relapse rate and prior cerebral magnetic resonance imaging activity. We did not find any evidence for the effect of age on the effectiveness of DMT. After inclusion of 1985 participants with progressive MS, the effect of DMT on disability mostly depended on MS phenotype, whereas its effect on relapses was driven mainly by prior relapse activity.Conclusions: DMT is generally most effective among patients with lower disability and in relapsing MS phenotypes. There is no evidence of attenuation of the effect of DMT with age. This study was financially supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (1129189, 1140766, 1080518) We thank the patients and their carers who have agreed to participate in the global MSBase cohort study. The MSBase Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that receives support from Roche, Merck, Biogen, Novartis, Bayer-Schering, Sanofi-Genzyme, and Teva. The study was conducted separately and apart from the guidance of the sponsors. Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Melbourne, as part of the Wiley - The University of Melbourne agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.

Background and ObjectivesPatients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) typically experience higher levels of inflammation with more frequent relapses and reach irreversible disability at a younger age than adult-onset patients. There have been few randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in patients with POMS, and most available data are based on observational studies of off-label use of DMTs approved for adults. We assessed the effectiveness of natalizumab compared with fingolimod using injectable platform therapies as a reference in pediatric patients in the global MSBase registry.MethodsThis retrospective study included patients with POMS who initiated treatment with an injectable DMT, natalizumab, or fingolimod between January 1, 2006, and May 3, 2021 (N=1218). The primary outcome was the time to first relapse from index therapy initiation. Secondary study outcomes included annualized relapse rate; proportions of relapse-free patients at 1, 2, and 5 years post baseline; time to treatment discontinuation; and times to 24-week confirmed disability worsening and confirmed disability improvement.ResultsPatients treated with fingolimod had a significantly lower risk of relapse than patients treated with injectable DMT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29–0.83;P=0.008). After adjustment for prior DMT experience in the unmatched sample, patients treated with natalizumab had a significantly lower risk of relapse than patients treated either with injectable DMT (HR, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.07–0.31;PP=0.049). The adjusted secondary study outcomes were generally consistent with the primary outcome or with previous observations. The findings in the inverse probability treatment weighting–adjusted patient populations were confirmed in multiple sensitivity analyses.DiscussionOur results suggest that natalizumab and fingolimod have broadly equivalent therapeutic efficacies in patients with POMS, consistent with previous studies of natalizumab and fingolimod in adult-onset patients and POMS. However, analyses of relapse outcomes suggest natalizumab is superior to fingolimod in the control of relapses in this population with high rates of new inflammatory activity.Classification of EvidenceThis study provides Class III evidence that natalizumab may provide better disease control than fingolimod in patients with POMS.

Here we report a challenging case of a 52-year-old man presenting with subacute constipation, urinary retention, impotence, absent Achilles reflexes, and hypoesthesia in S2-S5 dermatomes. We review the clinical decision-making as the symptoms evolved and diagnostic testing changed over time. Once the diagnosis is settled, we discuss the sign and symptoms, additional diagnostic tools, treatment options and prognosis.

BackgroundDisability progression is a key milestone in the disease evolution of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Prediction models of disability progression have not yet reached the level of trust needed to be adopted in the clinic. A common benchmark to assess model development in multiple sclerosis is also currently lacking.MethodsData of adult PwMS with a follow-up of at least three years from 146 MS centers, spread over 40 countries and collected by the MSBase consortium was used. With basic inclusion criteria for quality requirements, it represents a total of 15, 240 PwMS. External validation was performed and repeated five times to assess the significance of the results. TRIPOD guidelines were followed.Confirmed disability progression after two years was predicted, with a confirmation window of six months. Only routinely collected variables were used such as the expended disability status scale, treatment, relapse information, and MS course.To learn the probability of disability progression, state-of-the-art machine learning models were investigated. The discrimination performance of the models is evaluated on their area under the receiver operator curve (ROC-AUC) and under the precision recall curve (AUC-PR), and their calibration via the Brier score and the expected calibration error.FindingsA temporal attention model was the best model. It achieved a ROC-AUC of 0·71 ± 0·01, an AUC-PR of 0·26 ± 0·02, a Brier score of 0·1 ± 0·01 and an expected calibration error of 0·07 ± 0·04. The history of disability progression is more predictive for future disability progression than the treatment or relapses.InterpretationGood discrimination and calibration performance on an external validation set is achieved, using only routinely collected variables. This makes these models ready for a clinical impact study. All our preprocessing and model code is available at https://gitlab.com/edebrouwer/ms_benchmark, making this task an ideal benchmark for predicting disability progression in MS.

Introduction: In the midst of the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic, active immunization by effective vaccination gained utmost importance in terms of global health. The messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are novel strategies requiring clinical surveillance for adverse events. Case Report: We report a 43-year-old previously healthy female with an optic neuritis attack 24 hours following immunization with the second dose of coronavirus disease of 2019 mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine. A second transverse myelitis attack together with an elevated anti-AQP-4 antibody titer confirmed the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. Conclusion: Our case identifies the BNT162b2 vaccine as a possible trigger for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. This rare and potentially coincidental event has no implications for vaccine administration practices. However, further research is needed to elucidate the effects of mRNA vaccines on humoral and cell-mediated immunity.

Background; Radiologically Isolated Syndrome (RIS) depicts a clinical scenario with multiple sclerosis (MS)-like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in individuals without clinical features of a demyelinating bout. Balo’s concentric sclerosis (BCS) on the other hand, is a variant of MS characterized by concentrically layered white mater demyelinating lesions. Case presentation: a 49-year-old male with an incidental brain lesion on MRI underwent a stereotactic biopsy and diagnosed as a demyelinating process. He remained asymptomatic throughout the long term clinical and radiological follow-up. However, the patient developed new demyelinating lesions with some showing concentric layers of BCS. Conclusion:this is the first reported case; to our knowledge, whereby a pathologically verified RIS patient developed characteristic BCS lesions. Our case highlights the heterogeneity of RIS as a clinico-radiological entity, requiring further sub-classification of the spectrum for improved management, NA

The 5th International Porto Congress of Multiple Sclerosis took place between the 14th and 16th of February 2019 in Porto, Portugal. Its intensive programme covered a wide-range of themes—including many of the hot topics, challenges, pitfalls and yet unmet needs in the field of multiple sclerosis (MS)—led by a number of well-acknowledged world experts. This meeting review summarizes the talks that took place during the congress, which focussed on issues in MS as diverse as the development and challenges of progressive MS, epidemiology, differential diagnosis, medical management, molecular research and imaging tools.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated and neurodegenerative disease of central nervous system. Relapsing-remitting (RR)-MS occurring with acute attacks and remissions, is the most common clinical type of MS. There are different strategies applied in first-line treatment of RR-MS patients such as interferon-beta (IFN-beta) and glatiramer acetate. In this study, activating and inhibitory receptor expressions and interleukin (IL)-22 levels of NK cells were investigated in RR-MS patients with or without IFN-beta therapy. Activating receptor expression and IL-22 levels of NK cells were increased in RR-MS patients under IFN-beta therapy. Elevated NK cells with activating profile and increased IL-22 under IFN-beta therapy suggest that IFN-beta treatment might direct NK cells toward a pro-inflammatory status.

Background The multiple sclerosis (MS) landscape has changed over the past two decades across the world and in the Middle East. The Middle East is an ethnically diverse region located between 12 degrees and 42 degrees of latitude and 35 degrees and 54 degrees of longitude and varying altitudes. The magnitude of the shifts observed in the epidemiology and management of MS differ in each region and from country to country. Objectives The aim of this study was to provide a clinicodemographic overview of the cohorts of patients contributed to MSBase, a large international MS registry, in the Middle East and describe disease-modifying treatment (DMT) utilization in the different countries within the region. Understanding the differences between these cohorts is integral to interpretation of the studies conducted using registry data and provides insight into clinical practice in these cohorts. Methods The MSBase registry was searched for patients with MS or clinically isolated syndrome from the Middle Eastern countries with data captured between 2009 and 2018. In 2-year epochs, and with special focus on the most recent epoch (2017-2018), we explored the demographic, clinical characteristics and treatment exposures of the studied cohorts and reported the results using standard descriptive statistics. Results Over the 10-year study period, 13,356 patients from 17 centers in 8 Middle Eastern countries fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The represented countries were Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Overall, the represented cohort was young (median 36 years, quartiles 29-45) and captured relatively early after the onset of MS (median disease duration < 10 years, quartiles 3-12). The relapsing-remitting phenotype was the most prevalent phenotype in all countries (73-97%) and the highest proportion of progressive MS was reported in Saudi Arabia (12%). Median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ranged from 0 to 3, depicting a mildly disabled cohort, with the exception of Saudi Arabia where the median EDSS was 4 (quartiles 1.5-6.5). The median relapse frequency was highest in Lebanon (median 1.03, 95% CI 0.94-1.16) followed by Egypt (median 1.02, 95% CI 0.89-1.24) and lowest in Saudi Arabia (median 0.70, 95% CI 0.58-0.95) and Kuwait (median 0.75, 95% CI 0.71-0.80). The treatment landscape greatly varied between different countries. Platform injectable therapies were mostly utilized in Egypt, Iran and Turkey (86%, 79% and 53%, respectively), while oral therapies and monoclonal antibodies were more commonly used in Kuwait, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates (87.2%, 67.3% and 58.7%, respectively). Conclusion Patients in the Middle East enrolled in a large multinational registry are representative of the general MS population. The spectrum of therapies used in the individual countries, however, is highly variable. Further studies that include rural and non-academic practices are needed to enhance our understanding of the MS cohorts in the Middle East.

Objective To investigate pregnancy-related disease activity in a contemporary multiple sclerosis (MS) cohort. Methods Data were obtained from the MSBase Registry. Term/preterm pregnancies conceived from 2011-2019 were included (modern cohort). Annualised relapse rates (ARR) were calculated before, during and after pregnancy. Predictors of intrapartum and early postpartum (1st3 months) relapse were determined by clustered logistic and Cox regression analyses, respectively. Results We included 1640 pregnancies from 1452 women. Disease-modifying therapy (DMT) used in the one-year preconception included natalizumab (n=219), fingolimod (n=147), dimethyl fumarate (DMF; n=57) and low-efficacy therapies (n=845). Preconception ARR by DMT class used before conception were: natalizumab, 0.29 (95% CI 0.22-0.37); fingolimod, 0.37 (0.28-0.49); DMF, 0.24 (0.13-0.41); low-efficacy, 0.29 (0.25-0.33); and none, 0.24 (0.19-0.31). Among women who used fingolimod or natalizumab, ARR increased during pregnancy. Intrapartum ARR decreased in preconception DMF, low-efficacy or no DMT groups. ARR spiked after delivery across all DMT groups. Natalizumab continuation into pregnancy reduced the odds of relapse during pregnancy (OR 0.76 per month [0.60-0.95], p=0.017). DMT re-initiation with natalizumab protected against postpartum relapse (HR 0.11 [0.04-0.32], p Conclusion Women with MS prescribed natalizumab or fingolimod preconception had higher rates of intrapartum and postpartum relapse. In women considered to be at high relapse risk, use of natalizumab before pregnancy and continued up to 32-34 weeks gestation, with early re-initiation after delivery is an effective option to minimise relapse risks. Strategies of DMT use have to be balanced against potential foetal/neonatal complications.

Background: family planning and pregnancy decisions are key considerations in the management of women with multiple sclerosis (MS), who are typically diagnosed between the ages of 20–40 years. Despite a strong evidence base that pregnancy is not harmful for women with MS, many knowledge gaps remain. These include: best management strategies through pregnancy in the era of highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMT); foetal risks associated with DMT exposure in utero or in relation to breastfeeding; knowledge base around the use of assisted reproductive technologies; the long-term impact of pregnancy on disease outcomes, as well as the impact of long-term DMT use on women’s health and cancer risk. Methods: here, we describe the new MSBase pregnancy, neonatal outcomes and women’s health registry. We provide the rationale for, and detailed description of, the variables collected within the registry, together with data acquisition details. Conclusion: the present paper will act as a reference document for future studies., National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; MSBase Foundation; Roche; Merck; Biogen; Novartis; Bayer-Schering; Sanofi Genzyme; Teva

Background and ObjectivesTo determine optic nerve and retinal damage in aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG)-seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) in a large international cohort after previous studies have been limited by small and heterogeneous cohorts.MethodsThe cross-sectional Collaborative Retrospective Study on retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) in neuromyelitis optica collected retrospective data from 22 centers. Of 653 screened participants, we included 283 AQP4-IgG–seropositive patients with NMOSD and 72 healthy controls (HCs). Participants underwent OCT with central reading including quality control and intraretinal segmentation. The primary outcome was thickness of combined ganglion cell and inner plexiform (GCIP) layer; secondary outcomes were thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) and visual acuity (VA).ResultsEyes with ON (NMOSD-ON, N = 260) or without ON (NMOSD-NON, N = 241) were assessed compared with HCs (N = 136). In NMOSD-ON, GCIP layer (57.4 ± 12.2 μm) was reduced compared with HC (GCIP layer: 81.4 ± 5.7 μm, p < 0.001). GCIP layer loss (−22.7 μm) after the first ON was higher than after the next (−3.5 μm) and subsequent episodes. pRNFL observations were similar. NMOSD-NON exhibited reduced GCIP layer but not pRNFL compared with HC. VA was greatly reduced in NMOSD-ON compared with HC eyes, but did not differ between NMOSD-NON and HC.DiscussionOur results emphasize that attack prevention is key to avoid severe neuroaxonal damage and vision loss caused by ON in NMOSD. Therapies ameliorating attack-related damage, especially during a first attack, are an unmet clinical need. Mild signs of neuroaxonal changes without apparent vision loss in ON-unaffected eyes might be solely due to contralateral ON attacks and do not suggest clinically relevant progression but need further investigation.

Background The genetic and epidemiological features of hereditary ataxias have been reported in several populations; however, Turkey is still unexplored. Due to high consanguinity, recessive ataxias are more common in Turkey than in Western European populations. Objective To identify the prevalence and genetic structure of hereditary ataxias in the Turkish population. Methods Our cohort consisted of 1296 index cases and 324 affected family members. Polymerase chain reaction followed by Sanger sequencing or fragment analysis were performed to screen for the trinucleotide repeat expansions in families with a dominant inheritance pattern, as well as in sporadic cases. The expansion in the frataxin (FXN) gene was tested in all autosomal recessive cases and in sporadic cases with a compatible phenotype. Whole-exome sequencing was applied to 251 probands, selected based on the family history, age of onset, and phenotype. Results Mutations in known ataxia genes were identified in 30% of 1296 probands. Friedreich's ataxia was found to be the most common recessive ataxia in Turkey, followed by autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay. Spinocerebellar ataxia types 2 and 1 were the most common dominant ataxias. Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 251 probands with an approximate diagnostic yield of 50%. Forty-eight novel variants were found in a plethora of genes, suggesting a high heterogeneity. Variants of unknown significance were discussed in light of clinical data. Conclusion With the large sample size recruited across the country, we consider that our results provide an accurate picture of the frequency of hereditary ataxias in Turkey. (c) 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society, Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation; Koc UniversityKoc University; Bogazici UniversityBogazici University, This work was supported by funds from Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Koc University, Bogazici University.

Background: patients with anti-aquaporin-4 antibody seropositive (AQP4-IgG+) neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) frequently suffer from optic neuritis (ON) leading to severe retinal neuroaxonal damage. Further, the relationship of this retinal damage to a primary astrocytopathy in NMOSD is uncertain. Primary astrocytopathy has been suggested to cause ON-independent retinal damage and contribute to changes particularly in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) and outer nuclear layer (ONL), as reported in some earlier studies. However, these were limited in their sample size and contradictory as to the localisation. This study assesses outer retinal layer changes using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a multicentre cross-sectional cohort. Method: 197 patients who were AQP4-IgG+ and 32 myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein antibody seropositive (MOG-IgG+) patients were enrolled in this study along with 75 healthy controls. Participants underwent neurological examination and OCT with central postprocessing conducted at a single site. Results: no significant thinning of OPL (25.02 +/- 2.03 mu m) or ONL (61.63 +/- 7.04 mu m) were observed in patients who were AQP4-IgG+ compared with patients who were MOG-IgG+ with comparable neuroaxonal damage (OPL: 25.10 +/- 2.00 mu m; ONL: 64.71 +/- 7.87 mu m) or healthy controls (OPL: 24.58 +/- 1.64 mu m; ONL: 63.59 +/- 5.78 mu m). Eyes of patients who were AQP4-IgG+ (19.84 +/- 5.09 mu m, p=0.027) and MOG-IgG+ (19.82 +/- 4.78 mu m, p=0.004) with a history of ON showed parafoveal OPL thinning compared with healthy controls (20.99 +/- 5.14 mu m); this was not observed elsewhere. Conclusion: the results suggest that outer retinal layer loss is not a consistent component of retinal astrocytic damage in AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD. Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine if OPL and ONL are damaged in late disease due to retrograde trans-synaptic axonal degeneration and whether outer retinal dysfunction occurs despite any measurable structural correlates., Guthy Jackson Charitable Foundation (GJCF); German Research Foundation (DFG)

Background: methodological challenges limit the use of brain atrophy and lesion burden measures in the followup of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients on clinical routine datasets. Objective: to determine the feasibility of T2-FLAIR-only measures of lateral ventricular volume (LVV) and salient central lesion volume (SCLV), as markers of disability progression (DP) in MS. Methods: a total of 3,228 MS patients from 9 MSBase centers in 5 countries were enrolled. Of those, 2,875 (218 with clinically isolated syndrome, 2,231 with relapsing-remitting and 426 with progressive disease subtype) fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were scanned on either 1.5 T or 3 T MRI scanners, and 5,750 brain scans were collected at index and on average after 42.3 months at post-index. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the MSBase registry. LVV and SCLV were measured on clinical routine T2-FLAIR images. Results: longitudinal LVV and SCLV analyses were successful in 96% of the scans. 57% of patients had scanner related changes over the follow-up. After correcting for age, sex, disease duration, disability, disease-modifying therapy and LVV at index, and follow-up time, MS patients with DP (n = 671) had significantly greater absolute LVV change compared to stable (n = 1,501) or disability improved (DI, n = 248) MS patients (2.0 mL vs. 1.4 mL vs. 1.1 mL, respectively, ANCOVA p < 0.001, post-hoc pair-wise DP vs. Stable p = 0.003; and DP vs. DI, p = 0.002). Similar ANCOVA model was also significant for SCLV (p = 0.03). Conclusions: LVV-based atrophy and SCLV-based lesion outcomes are feasible on clinically acquired T2-FLAIR scans in a multicenter fashion and are associated with DP over mid-term., Novartis; Genzyme-Sanofi; Biogen; Merck; Genentech; Abbvie; Bayer AG; Celgene/ BMS; Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; WebMD Global; Teva; BioCSL; Almirall; Roche; Generica; Deva; Nerve Research Foundation; Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia; Keystone Heart; Bristol Myers Squibb; EMD Serono; V-WAVE Medical; Mapi Pharma; Protembis

Background: COVID-19 is a multisystemic infection with variables consequences depending on individual and comorbid conditions. The course and outcomes of COVID-19 during neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD) are not clearly known. Objective methods: the aim of this study was to examine the features and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in NMOSD and MOGAD patients. The patients' demographic and clinical factors, disease modifying treatment (DMT) used and disease information of COVID-19 infection were recorded. Conditions leading to hospitalization and severe exposure to COVID-19 infection were also analyzed. Results: the study included 63 patients from 25 centers. Thirty-two patients (50.8%) belong to AQP-4 seropositive group, 13 (20.6%) and 18 (28.6%) were in MOG-positive and double-seronegative groups, respectively. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection and hospitalization were advanced age, high disability level and the presence of comorbid disease. Disease severity was found to be high in double-seronegative NMOSD and low in MOGAD patients. No statistically significant effect of DMTs on disease severity and hospitalization was found. Conclusion: in NMOSD and MOGAD patients, advanced age, high disability and presence of comorbid disease pose risks for severe COVID-19 infection. There was no direct significant effect of DMTs for COVID-19 infection., NA

ObjectiveTo investigate pregnancy-related disease activity in a contemporary multiple sclerosis (MS) cohort.MethodsUsing data from the MSBase Registry, we included pregnancies conceived after December 31, 2010, in women with relapsing-remitting MS or clinically isolated syndrome. Predictors of intrapartum relapse and postpartum relapse and disability progression were determined by clustered logistic regression or Cox regression analyses.ResultsWe included 1,998 pregnancies from 1,619 women with MS. Preconception annualized relapse rate (ARR) was 0.29 (95% confidence interval 0.27–0.32), fell to 0.19 (0.14–0.24) in the third trimester, and increased to 0.59 (0.51–0.67) in early postpartum. Among women who used fingolimod or natalizumab, ARR before pregnancy was 0.37 (0.28–0.49) and 0.29 (0.22–0.37), respectively, and increased during pregnancy. Intrapartum ARR decreased with preconception dimethyl fumarate use. ARR spiked after delivery across all DMT groups. Natalizumab continuation into pregnancy reduced the odds of relapse during pregnancy (odds ratio 0.76 per month [0.60–0.95], p = 0.017). DMT reinitiation with natalizumab protected against postpartum relapse (hazard ratio [HR] 0.11 [0.04–0.32], p < 0.0001). Breastfeeding women were less likely to relapse (HR 0.61 [0.41–0.91], p = 0.016). We found that 5.6% of pregnancies were followed by confirmed disability progression, predicted by higher relapse activity in pregnancy and postpartum.ConclusionIntrapartum and postpartum relapse probabilities increased among women with MS after natalizumab or fingolimod cessation. In women considered to be at high relapse risk, use of natalizumab before pregnancy and continued up to 34 weeks gestation with early reinitiation after delivery is an effective option to minimize relapse risks. Strategies of disease-modifying therapy use have to be balanced against potential fetal/neonatal complications.

Background: neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder that damages optic nerves, brainstem, and spinal cord. In vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCM) is a noninvasive technique that provides corneal images with dendritic cells (DCs) and corneal subbasal nerve plexus (SBP), which arises from the trigeminal nerve. Objective: we investigated corneal SBP changes in NMOSD and proposed IVCM as a potential new disease severity biomarker for NMOSD. Methods: seventeen age-sex matched NMOSD patients and 19 healthy participants underwent complete neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations. The duration of disease, first symptom, presence of optic neuritis attack, antibody status, Expanded Disability Status Scale(EDSS) score and disease severity score(DSS) were recorded. Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography, and corneal SBP images were taken with IVCM. Results: NMOSD patients had significantly reduced corneal nerve fibre lenght-density and corneal nerve branch lenght-density compared with controls, while DC density was increased. NMOSD patients also showed significantly reduced RNFL thickness compared with controls. EDSS,DSS levels were inversely correlated with IVCM parameters. Conclusion: we observed significant corneal nerve fibre loss in NMOSD patients in relation to disease severity. IVCM can be a candidate noninvasive imaging method for axonal damage assessment in NMOSD that warrants further investigation., NA

Background Antibodies to the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are reported to trigger the complement cascade, which is implicated in astrocyte damage and subsequent neuronal injury. The PREVENT study demonstrated that the terminal complement inhibitor eculizumab reduces adjudicated relapse risk in patients with anti-AQP4 immunoglobulin G-positive (AQP4+) NMOSD. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of eculizumab in reducing relapse risk and its safety in AQP4+ NMOSD across clinically relevant subgroups in PREVENT. Methods In the randomized, double-blind, time-to-event, phase 3 PREVENT trial, 143 adults received eculizumab (maintenance dose, 1200 mg/2 weeks) or placebo (2:1), with stable-dose concomitant immunosuppressive therapy (IST) permitted (except rituximab and mitoxantrone). Post hoc analyses of relapses and adverse events were performed for prespecified and post hoc subgroups based on concomitant IST and prior rituximab use, demographic and disease characteristics, and autoimmune comorbidity. Results The significant reduction in relapse risk observed for eculizumab versus placebo in the overall PREVENT population was consistently maintained across subgroups based on concomitant IST and previous rituximab use, age, sex, region, race, time since clinical onset of NMOSD, historical annualized relapse rate, baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale score, and history of another autoimmune disorder. The serious infection rate was lower with eculizumab than placebo regardless of rituximab use in the previous year, concomitant IST use, or history of another autoimmune disorder. Conclusion Across a wide range of clinically relevant AQP4+ NMOSD patient subgroups in PREVENT, eculizumab therapy was consistently effective versus placebo in reducing relapse risk, with no apparent increase in serious infection rate. Trial registration NCT01892345 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), autoimmune encephalitis (AE), myasthenia gravis (MG) and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) are antibody-mediated neurological diseases. They have mostly female predominance, affecting many women during childbearing age. Interactions between the underlying disease (or necessary treatment) and pregnancy can occur in every of these illnesses. Herein, we present the characteristics of NMOSD, AE, MG and LEMS in general, and review published data regarding the influence of the different diseases on fertility, pregnancy, puerperium, treatment strategy during pregnancy and post-partum period, and menopause but also male factors. We summarise key elements that should be borne in mind when confronted with such cases.

Background:Cerebellar and brainstem symptoms are common in early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) yet their prognostic values remain unclear.Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate long-term disability outcomes in patients with early cerebellar and brainstem symptoms.Methods:This study used data from MSBase registry. Patients with early cerebellar/brainstem presentations were identified as those with cerebellar/brainstem relapse(s) or functional system score ⩾ 2 in the initial 2 years. Early pyramidal presentation was chosen as a comparator. Andersen-Gill models were used to compare cumulative hazards of (1) disability progression events and (2) relapses between patients with and without early cerebellar/brainstem symptoms. Mixed effect models were used to estimate the associations between early cerebellar/brainstem presentations and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) scores.Results:The study cohort consisted of 10,513 eligible patients, including 2723 and 3915 patients with early cerebellar and brainstem symptoms, respectively. Early cerebellar presentation was associated with greater hazard of progression events (HR = 1.37, p Conclusion:Early cerebellar presentation is associated with unfavourable outcomes, while early brainstem presentation is associated with favourable prognosis. These presentations may be used as MS prognostic markers and guide therapeutic approach.

Predicting treatment failure and switching effective treatment immediately in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is important. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of Modified Rio score (MRS) in predicting treatment failure in MS patients. This is a retrospective study, which was conducted in two University Hospital. 129 MS patients treated with Interferon or glatiramer-acetate from 2 clinical sites, were retrospectively selected. MRS was calculated after the first year of therapy. Treatment failure was defined as the presence of a 1 point increase in EDSS, 2 clinical attacks, 1 clinical attack and progression, 1 clinical attack and new lesion on MRI except associated with an attack, or new lesion in 2 different MRI taken at least 3 months apart. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the MRS in predicting treatment failure were determined. 71 (55%) patients with score ‘0’, 41 (31.8%) patients with score ‘1’, 11 (8.5%) patients with score ‘2’, 6 (4.7%) patients with score ‘3’ were detected. 14 patients needed treatment switching during the first three years of the treatment. Sensitivity was 57%, specificity was 92%, positive predictive value was 95%, negative predictive value was 47% and accuracy was 89%. Modified Rio score (MRS) was found to be effective in determining the treatment failure as mentioned before. This study will be useful for clinicians who evaluate the treatment failure like us, and this study revealed that the MRS may also help predict treatment failure.

Patients with the 'aggressive' form of multiple sclerosis accrue disability at an accelerated rate, typically reaching Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) ≥ 6 within 10 years of symptom onset. Several clinicodemographic factors have been associated with aggressive multiple sclerosis, but less research has focused on clinical markers that are present in the first year of disease. The development of early predictive models of aggressive multiple sclerosis is essential to optimize treatment in this multiple sclerosis subtype. We evaluated whether patients who will develop aggressive multiple sclerosis can be identified based on early clinical markers. We then replicated this analysis in an independent cohort. Patient data were obtained from the MSBase observational study. Inclusion criteria were (i) first recorded disability score (EDSS) within 12 months of symptom onset; (ii) at least two recorded EDSS scores; and (iii) at least 10 years of observation time, based on time of last recorded EDSS score. Patients were classified as having 'aggressive multiple sclerosis' if all of the following criteria were met: (i) EDSS ≥ 6 reached within 10 years of symptom onset; (ii) EDSS ≥ 6 confirmed and sustained over ≥6 months; and (iii) EDSS ≥ 6 sustained until the end of follow-up. Clinical predictors included patient variables (sex, age at onset, baseline EDSS, disease duration at first visit) and recorded relapses in the first 12 months since disease onset (count, pyramidal signs, bowel-bladder symptoms, cerebellar signs, incomplete relapse recovery, steroid administration, hospitalization). Predictors were evaluated using Bayesian model averaging. Independent validation was performed using data from the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Registry. Of the 2403 patients identified, 145 were classified as having aggressive multiple sclerosis (6%). Bayesian model averaging identified three statistical predictors: age > 35 at symptom onset, EDSS ≥ 3 in the first year, and the presence of pyramidal signs in the first year. This model significantly predicted aggressive multiple sclerosis [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.80, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 0.75, 0.84, positive predictive value = 0.15, negative predictive value = 0.98]. The presence of all three signs was strongly predictive, with 32% of such patients meeting aggressive disease criteria. The absence of all three signs was associated with a 1.4% risk. Of the 556 eligible patients in the Swedish Multiple Sclerosis Registry cohort, 34 (6%) met criteria for aggressive multiple sclerosis. The combination of all three signs was also predictive in this cohort (AUC = 0.75, 95% CIs: 0.66, 0.84, positive predictive value = 0.15, negative predictive value = 0.97). Taken together, these findings suggest that older age at symptom onset, greater disability during the first year, and pyramidal signs in the first year are early indicators of aggressive multiple sclerosis., National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia; Roche; Merck; Biogen; Novartis; Bayer Schering; Sanofi Genzyme; Teva

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating central nervous system disorder that is more common in women, with onset often during reproductive years. The female:male sex ratio of MS rose in several regions over the last century, suggesting a possible sex by environmental interaction increasing MS risk in women. Since many with MS are in their childbearing years, family planning, including contraceptive and disease-modifying therapy (DMT) counselling, are important aspects of MS care in women. While some DMTs are likely harmful to the developing fetus, others can be used shortly before or until pregnancy is confirmed. Overall, pregnancy decreases risk of MS relapses, whereas relapse risk may increase postpartum, although pregnancy does not appear to be harmful for long-term prognosis of MS. However, ovarian aging may contribute to disability progression in women with MS. Here, we review sex effects across the lifespan in women with MS, including the effect of sex on MS susceptibility, effects of pregnancy on MS disease activity, and management strategies around pregnancy, including risks associated with DMT use before and during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding. We also review reproductive aging and sexual dysfunction in women with MS.

Introduction: While monophasic and relapsing forms of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disorders (MOGAD) are increasingly diagnosed world-wide, consensus on management is yet to be developed. Objective: To survey the current global clinical practice of clinicians treating MOGAD. Method: Neurologists worldwide with expertise in treating MOGAD participated in an online survey (February–April 2019). Results: Fifty-two responses were received (response rate 60.5%) from 86 invited experts, comprising adult (78.8%, 41/52) and paediatric (21.2%, 11/52) neurologists in 22 countries. All treat acute attacks with high dose corticosteroids. If recovery is incomplete, 71.2% (37/52) proceed next to plasma exchange (PE). 45.5% (5/11) of paediatric neurologists use IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) in preference to PE. Following an acute attack, 55.8% (29/52) of respondents typically continue corticosteroids for ≥ 3 months; though less commonly when treating children. After an index event, 60% (31/51) usually start steroid-sparing maintenance therapy (MT); after ≥ 2 attacks 92.3% (48/52) would start MT. Repeat MOG antibody status is used by 52.9% (27/51) to help decide on MT initiation. Commonly used first line MTs in adults are azathioprine (30.8%, 16/52), mycophenolate mofetil (25.0%, 13/52) and rituximab (17.3%, 9/52). In children, IVIg is the preferred first line MT (54.5%; 6/11). Treatment response is monitored by MRI (53.8%; 28/52), optical coherence tomography (23.1%; 12/52) and MOG antibody titres (36.5%; 19/52). Regardless of monitoring results, 25.0% (13/52) would not stop MT. Conclusion: Current treatment of MOGAD is highly variable, indicating a need for consensus-based treatment guidelines, while awaiting definitive clinical trials.

Supplemental material, MSJ926955_supplementary_material for Disability outcomes of early cerebellar and brainstem symptoms in multiple sclerosis by Minh Le, Charles Malpas, Sifat Sharmin, Dana Horáková, Eva Havrdova, Maria Trojano, Guillermo Izquierdo, Sara Eichau, Serkan Ozakbas, Alessandra Lugaresi, Alexandre Prat, Marc Girard, Pierre Duquette, Catherine Larochelle, Raed Alroughani, Roberto Bergamaschi, Patrizia Sola, Diana Ferraro, Pierre Grammond, Francois Grand’ Maison, Murat Terzi, Cavit Boz, Raymond Hupperts, Helmut Butzkueven, Eugenio Pucci, Franco Granella, Vincent Van Pesch, Aysun Soysal, Bassem I. Yamout, Jeannette Lechner-Scott, Daniele LA Spitaleri, Radek Ampapa, Recai Turkoglu, Gerardo Iuliano, Cristina Ramo-Tello, Jose Luis Sanchez-Menoyo, Youssef Sidhom, Riadh Gouider, Vahid Shaygannejad, Julie Prevost, Ayse Altintas, Yara Dadalti Fragoso, Pamela Ann McCombe, Thor Petersen, Mark Slee, Michael H Barnett, Steve Vucic, Anneke Van Der Walt and Tomas Kalincik in Multiple Sclerosis Journal

Background: The Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) is a widely used measure of the disability progression rate. However, the global MSSS may not be the best basis for comparison between all patient groups. Objective: We evaluated sex-specific and onset phenotype–specific MSSS matrices to determine if they were more effective than the global MSSS as a basis for comparison within these subsets. Methods: Using a large international dataset of multiple sclerosis (MS) patient records and the original MSSS algorithm, we constructed global, sex-specific and onset phenotype–specific MSSS matrices. We compared matrices using permutation analysis. Results: Our final dataset included 30,203 MS cases, with 28.9% males and 6.5% progressive-onset cases. Our global MSSS matrix did not differ from previously published data ( p > 0.05). The progressive-onset-specific matrix differed significantly from the relapsing-onset-specific matrix ( p Conclusion: The differences in the disability accrual rate between progressive- and relapsing-onset MS have a significant effect on MSSS. An onset-specific MSSS should be used when comparing the rate of disability progression among progressive-onset cases and for mixed cohorts.

Altintas, Ayse/0000-0002-8524-5087; Laureys, Guy/0000-0002-1708-4373; Vucic, Steve/0000-0002-8323-873X; patti, francesco/0000-0002-6923-0846; Kister, Ilya/0000-0003-3549-949X; Lugaresi, Alessandra/0000-0003-2902-5589 WOS: 000521648000049 PubMed: 31877445 Background: Aquaporin-4-IgG positive (AQP4-IgG(+)) Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is an uncommon central nervous system autoimmune disorder. Disease outcomes in AQP4-IgG + NMOSD are typically measured by relapse rate and disability. Using the MSBase, a multi-centre international registry, we aimed to examine the impact immunosuppressive therapies and patient characteristics as predictors of disease outcome measures in AQP4-IgG + NMOSD. Method: This MSBase cohort study of AQP4-IgG + NMOSD patients examined modifiers of relapse in a multivariable proportional hazards model and expanded disability status score (EDSS) using a mixed effects model. Results: 206 AQP4-IgG + patients were included (median follow-up 3.7 years). Age (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.82 per decade, p = 0.001), brainstem onset (HR = 0.45, p = 0.009), azathioprine (HR = 0.46, p < 0.001) and mycophenolate mofetil (HR = 0.09, p = 0.012) were associated with a reduced risk of relapse. A greater EDSS was associated with age (beta = 0.45 (per decade), p < 0.001) and disease duration (beta = 0.07 per year, p < 0.001). A slower increase in EDSS was associated with azathioprine (beta = -0.48, p < 0.001), mycophenolate mofetil (beta = -0.69, p = 0.04) and rituximab (beta = -0.35, p = 0.024). Interpretation: This study has demonstrated that azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil reduce the risk of relapses and disability progression is modified by azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab. Age and disease duration were the only patient characteristics that modified the risk of relapse and disability in our cohort. National Health and Medical Research Council of AustraliaNational Health and Medical Research Council of Australia [1083539, 1129189, 1140766, 1080518]; MerckMerck & Company; BiogenBiogen; NovartisNovartis; Bayer-ScheringBayer AG; Sanofi-Genzyme; Teva This study was financially supported by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia [project grants 1083539 and 1129189, and fellowships 1140766 and 1080518]. The MSBase Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that receives support from Merck, Biogen, Novartis, Bayer-Schering, Sanofi-Genzyme and Teva. The study was conducted separately and apart from the guidance of the sponsors.

Turkoglu, Recai/0000-0001-9724-851X; Ferraro, Diana/0000-0003-4818-3806; McCombe, Pamela/0000-0003-2704-8517; Altintas, Ayse/0000-0002-8524-5087; Jokubaitis, Vilija G./0000-0002-3942-4340; Slee, Mark/0000-0003-4323-2453; Lugaresi, Alessandra/0000-0003-2902-5589; van Pesch, Vincent/0000-0003-2885-9004; Vucic, Steve/0000-0002-8323-873X WOS: 000481049900001 PubMed: 31397221 Background: The risk factors for conversion from relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis remain highly contested. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the demographic, clinical and paraclinical features that influence the risk of conversion to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Methods: Patients with adult-onset relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and at least four recorded disability scores were selected from MSBase, a global observational cohort. The risk of conversion to objectively defined secondary progressive multiple sclerosis was evaluated at multiple time points per patient using multivariable marginal Cox regression models. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: A total of 15,717 patients were included in the primary analysis. Older age (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.02, p < 0.001), longer disease duration (HR = 1.01, p = 0.038), a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale score (HR = 1.30, p < 0.001), more rapid disability trajectory (HR = 2.82, p < 0.001) and greater number of relapses in the previous year (HR = 1.07, p = 0.010) were independently associated with an increased risk of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Improving disability (HR = 0.62, p = 0.039) and disease-modifying therapy exposure (HR = 0.71, p = 0.007) were associated with a lower risk. Recent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging activity, evidence of spinal cord lesions and oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid were not associated with the risk of conversion. Conclusion: Risk of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis increases with age, duration of illness and worsening disability and decreases with improving disability. Therapy may delay the onset of secondary progression. National Health and Medical Research Council of AustraliaNational Health and Medical Research Council of Australia [1083539, 1129189, 1140766]; BiogenBiogen; RocheRoche Holding; Bayer ScheringBayer AG; Sanofi Genzyme; Teva; MerckMerck & Company; NovartisNovartis The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was financially supported by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (project grants 1083539 and 1129189 and fellowship 1140766). The MSBase Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that receives support from Merck, Biogen, Roche, Novartis, Bayer Schering, Sanofi Genzyme and Teva. The study was conducted separately and apart from the guidance of the sponsors.

none 39 si OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of glatiramer acetate (GA) vs intramuscular interferon beta-1a (IFN-β-1a), we applied a previously published statistical method aimed at identifying patients' profiles associated with efficacy of treatments. METHODS: Data from 2 independent multiple sclerosis datasets, a randomized study (the Combination Therapy in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis [CombiRx] trial, evaluating GA vs IFN-β-1a) and an observational cohort extracted from MSBase, were used to build and validate a treatment response score, regressing annualized relapse rates (ARRs) on a set of baseline predictors. RESULTS: The overall ARR ratio of GA to IFN-β-1a in the CombiRx trial was 0.72. The response score (made up of a linear combination of age, sex, relapses in the previous year, disease duration, and Expanded Disability Status Scale score) detected differential response of GA vs IFN-β-1a: in the trial, patients with the largest benefit from GA vs IFN-β-1a (lower score quartile) had an ARR ratio of 0.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25-0.63), those in the 2 middle quartiles of 0.90 (95% CI 0.61-1.34), and those in the upper quartile of 1.14 (95% CI 0.59-2.18) (heterogeneity p = 0.012); this result was validated on MSBase, with the corresponding ARR ratios of 0.58 (95% CI 0.46-0.72), 0.92 (95% CI 0.77-1.09,) and 1.29 (95% CI 0.97-1.71); heterogeneity p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the possibility of a criterion, based on patients' characteristics, to choose whether to treat with GA or IFN-β-1a. This result, replicated on an independent real-life cohort, may have implications for clinical decisions in everyday clinical practice. open Bovis F.; Kalincik T.; Lublin F.; Cutter G.; Malpas C.; Horakova D.; Havrdova E.K.; Trojano M.; Prat A.; Girard M.; Duquette P.; Onofrj M.; Lugaresi A.; Izquierdo G.; Eichau S.; Patti F.; Terzi M.; Grammond P.; Bergamaschi R.; Sola P.; Ferraro D.; Ozakbas S.; Iuliano G.; Boz C.; Hupperts R.; Grand'Maison F.; Oreja-Guevara C.; van Pesch V.; Cartechini E.; Petersen T.; Altintas A.; Soysal A.; Ramo-Tello C.; McCombe P.; Turkoglu R.; Butzkueven H.; Wolinsky J.S.; Solaro C.; Sormani M.P. Bovis F.; Kalincik T.; Lublin F.; Cutter G.; Malpas C.; Horakova D.; Havrdova E.K.; Trojano M.; Prat A.; Girard M.; Duquette P.; Onofrj M.; Lugaresi A.; Izquierdo G.; Eichau S.; Patti F.; Terzi M.; Grammond P.; Bergamaschi R.; Sola P.; Ferraro D.; Ozakbas S.; Iuliano G.; Boz C.; Hupperts R.; Grand'Maison F.; Oreja-Guevara C.; van Pesch V.; Cartechini E.; Petersen T.; Altintas A.; Soysal A.; Ramo-Tello C.; McCombe P.; Turkoglu R.; Butzkueven H.; Wolinsky J.S.; Solaro C.; Sormani M.P.

Multiple sclerosis (MS), is a chronic inflammatory disease of central nervous system with unclear etiology. Relapsing-remitting (RR)-MS is the most frequent subtype of disease. Natural Killer (NK) cells have roles in cytotoxicity and immune regulation by cytokine secretions, with uncertain contribution to MS pathogenesis. This study aimed to explore contribution of NK cells to MS pathogenesis. Percentages of CD3(-)CD16(+)CD56(+) total NK cells, CD3(-)CD16(+)CD56(dim) and CD3(-)CD16(-)CD56(bright) NK cell subsets, NK cytotoxicity and intracellular IFN-gamma, IL-10 and IL-22 levels were investigated in patients with RR-MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) as well as healthy subjects. Decreased IFN-gamma and increased IL-22 production might have detrimental effects on the clinical course of RR-MS. Impaired cytotoxicity is correlated with disease duration in RR-MS. These findings support the possible contribution of NK cells to RR-MS immuno-pathogenesis. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Fingolimod withdrawal may trigger the return of pretreatment disease activity. It is difficult to identify patients at risk of disease reactivation. We compared the demographic and clinical features of patients experiencing severe disease reactivation (SDR) after fingolimod cessation with those of patients who did not.All patients who commenced fingolimod and who continued therapy for at least 6 months were included. The demographic and clinical features of the 2 groups (SDR vs. no SDR) were assessed.Forty-four of 303 patients discontinued fingolimod for various reasons. Among these, 31 fulfilled our inclusion criteria and 8 (25.8%) exhibited SDR after drug cessation. The mean time for SDR was 2.6 months (range, 2 to 3 mo). The annualized relapse rate before fingolimod therapy was higher in the SDR than in the non-SDR group (1.59 vs. 0.81) (P=0.018). Although statistical significance was not attained, the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score at the time of fingolimod cessation was higher in the non-SDR than in the SDR group (2.5 vs. 1.12) (P=0.074).SDR may develop within the first 3 months after cessation of fingolimod. Patients with higher annualized relapse rates and lower Expanded Disability Status Scale scores before commencing fingolimod treatment were more likely to exhibit SDR.