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A randomized blinded trial of combination therapy with cyclophosphamide in patients with active multiple sclerosis on interferon betaDepartment of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, MS Care of Connecticut, One Towne Park Plaza, Norwich, CT 06360, USA
Department of Neurology, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY, USA
Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, Department of Radiology, Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Department of Neurology, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY, USA, Partners MS Center, One Brookline Place, Brookline, MA 02445, USA
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, Multiple Sclerosis Center, Gottschalk Medical Plaza, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
Department of Neurology, Buffalo General Hospital, Buffalo, NY, USA, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., One Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933, USA
Peachtree Neurologic Clinic, Atlanta, GA, USA
Department of Epidemiology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
Peachtree Neurologic Clinic, Atlanta, GA, USA, MS Center of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, MA, USA, Department of Radiology, Seaman Family MR Research Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with pulse cyclophosphamide given with methylprednisolone (MP) and interferon beta (IFNß)-1a in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with active disease during IFNß monotherapy. Methods: This was a randomized, single-blind, parallel-group, multicenter trial in MS patients with a history of active disease during IFNß treatment. Patients were randomized to either cyclophosphamide 800 mg/m2 plus methylprednisolone 1 g IV (CY/MP) or methylprednisolone once a month for six months and then followed for an additional 18 months. All patients received three days of methylprednisolone 1 g IV at screening and 30 mcg IFNß-1a IM weekly for the entire 24 months. The primary endpoint was change from baseline in the mean number of gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) lesions. Secondary clinical endpoints included time to treatment failure. Results: Fifty-nine patients were randomized to treatment: 30 to CY/MP and 29 to MP. Change from baseline in the number of Gd+ lesions was significantly different between treatment groups at three (P=0.01), six (P=0.04) and 12 months (P=0.02), with fewer lesions in the CY/MP group. The cumulative rate of treatment failure was significantly lower in the CY/MP group compared with the MP group (rate ratio =0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.75; P=0.011). CY/MP treatment was well tolerated. Conclusion: Combination therapy with CY/MP and IFNß-1a decreased the number of Gd+ lesions and slowed clinical activity in patients with previously active disease on IFNß alone.
Key Words: brain atrophy breakthrough disease combination therapy cyclophosphamide cytotoxic agents eosinophilia eosinophils glucocorticoids IFNß IL-4 methylprednisolone mitoxantrone MRI MS natalizumab=antegren=tysabri randomized clinical trial RRMS treatment failure
Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 11, No. 5,
573-582 (2005) This article has been cited by other articles:
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