Increased Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor α, and Not of Interferon γ, Preceding Disease Activity in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
OBJECTIVE To study whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α or interferon (IFN) γ production by stimulated white blood cells precedes or accompanies clinical and magnetic resonance imaging signs of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis. DESIGN Prospective study with a follow-up of 9 mont...
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Published in | Archives of neurology (Chicago) Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 793 - 798 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Chicago, IL
American Medical Association
01.06.1998
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | OBJECTIVE To study whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α or interferon (IFN) γ production by stimulated white blood cells precedes or accompanies clinical and magnetic resonance imaging signs of disease activity in patients with multiple sclerosis. DESIGN Prospective study with a follow-up of 9 months. SETTING Patients visiting an outpatient university clinic. PATIENTS The 30 Amsterdam-based patients (28 completing all evaluations) participating in a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of a chimeric anti-CD4 antibody in the treatment of active relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Patients in both treatment arms were included, because for these patients anti-CD4 treatment in this study did not affect TNF-α and IFN-γ production and did not reduce signs of disease activity on magnetic resonance imaging. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Distribution of classes of TNF-α and IFN-γ production (expressed as z scores) in patients with or without clinical or magnetic resonance imaging signs of disease activity. RESULTS One month preceding exacerbations of multiple sclerosis, there was a shift toward higher z scores of TNF-α production (P<.05), but not of IFN-γ production. There was no statistically significant relationship between IFN-γ and TNF-α production and magnetic resonance imaging markers of multiple sclerosis activity. CONCLUSION The production of TNF-α, and not of IFN-γ, is significantly higher in patients with multiple sclerosis before exacerbations than in patients with stable disease. Although present, this relationship is too weak to use TNF-α production as a surrogate marker of disease activity in multiple sclerosis.Arch Neurol. 1998;55:793-798--> |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0003-9942 1538-3687 |
DOI: | 10.1001/archneur.55.6.793 |