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Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 14, No. 5, 636-639 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1352458507086666

research-article

Effect of relapses over early progression of disability in multiple sclerosis patients treated with beta-interferon

I Bosca

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain, isabelbosca{at}hotmail.com

F Coret

Neurology Department, Hospital Clínic Universitari, Valencia, Spain

C Valero

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain

AM Pascual

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain

MJ Magraner

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain

L Landete

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain

B Casanova

Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari La Fe, Valencia, Spain

Observational study designed to explore the effect of demographical variables and number of relapses over the disability progression in the two first years of beta-interferon treatment for multiple sclerosis. One hundred and sixty two patients treated with beta-interferon for at least two years were included, 70.9% females, mean age 33.4 years, mean disease duration 75.1 months, mean EDSS 2.4, previous year relapse rate 1.3. Main end-point was defined as a sustained EDSS increase (1.5 if previous EDSS 0-2.0; 1.0 if previous EDSS 2.5-4.0; 0.5 if previous EDSS 4.5 or higher). 62.3% of patients presented one or more relapses and 32.7% patients reached sustained disability increase. The univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis only showed statistical significance for the relapses in the two first years after the treatment (HR 1 relapse: 3.4, p = 0.05; HR ≥ 2 relapses: 4.3, p < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed a higher probability of EDSS progression for patients with one relapse (log rank 10.9, p = 0.02) and with ≥ 2 relapses (log rank 17.7, p < 0.001), with no differences between them (p = 0.38). In conclusion, patients with one or more relapses in the first two years of interferon treatment developed an earlier sustained progression of the disability.

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • beta-interferon • relapses • disability progression


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