Improvement in relapse recovery with peginterferon beta-1a in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Journal: Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational And Clinical
Published:
Abstract

Background: Subcutaneous peginterferon beta-1a every 2 weeks significantly affects clinical outcomes in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Objective: To explore relationships between relapses and worsening of disability in patients with RRMS, and assess the treatment effect of peginterferon beta-1a on relapse recovery.

Methods: Post-hoc analysis of the 2-year, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, Phase 3 ADVANCE study. The severity of relapses, proportion of patients with relapses associated with residual disability (onset of 24-week confirmed disability progression (CDP) within 90 days following a relapse), and persistence of changes in Functional Systems Scores, were compared between treatment groups.

Results: Subcutaneous peginterferon beta-1a every 2 weeks significantly reduced the proportion of patients experiencing relapse associated with CDP over 2 years (6.6%, compared with 15.1% of patients who received placebo in Year 1; p = 0.02). Reduction in relapses associated with residual disability was greater than the treatment effect on overall relapse rate, and occurred despite similar relapse severity across treatment groups.

Conclusions: The beneficial effect of peginterferon beta-1a on risk of CDP may be attributable to the combination of an overall reduction in the risk of relapses and improvement in recovery from relapses, thus limiting further disability progression. Background: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00906399.

Authors
Thomas Scott, Bernd Kieseier, Scott Newsome, Douglas Arnold, Xiaojun You, Serena Hung, Bjoern Sperling
Relevant Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)