Serum neurofilament light chain level associations with clinical and cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis: A longitudinal retrospective 5-year study
A limited number of studies investigated associations between serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and cognition in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). To assess cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sNfL levels, clinical, and cognitive performance in PwMS and age-matched healt...
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Published in | Multiple sclerosis Vol. 26; no. 13; p. 1670 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
01.11.2020
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get more information |
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Summary: | A limited number of studies investigated associations between serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and cognition in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).
To assess cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between sNfL levels, clinical, and cognitive performance in PwMS and age-matched healthy controls (HCs).
One hundred twenty-seven PwMS (85 relapsing-remitting MS/42 progressive MS), 20 clinically isolated syndrome patients, and 52 HCs were followed for 5 years. sNfL levels were measured using the single-molecule array (Simoa) assay and quantified in picograms per milliliter. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), walking, and manual dexterity tests were obtained. At follow-up, Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) was utilized. Cognitively impaired (CI) status was derived using HC-based
-scores. Age-, sex-, and education-adjusted analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and regression models were used. Multiple comparison-adjusted values of
< 0.05 were considered significant.
In PwMS, sNfL levels were cross-sectionally associated with walking speed (
= 0.235,
= 0.036), manual dexterity (
= 0.337,
= 0.002), and cognitive processing speed (CPS;
=-0.265,
= 0.012). Baseline sNfL levels predicted 5-year EDSS scores (
= 0.25,
= 0.012), dexterity (
= 0.224,
= 0.033), and CPS (
=-0.205,
= 0.049). CI patients had higher sNfL levels (27.2 vs. 20.6,
= 0.016) and greater absolute longitudinal sNfL increase when compared with non-CI patients (4.8 vs. 0.7,
= 0.04).
Higher sNfL levels are associated with poorer current and future clinical and cognitive performance. |
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ISSN: | 1477-0970 |
DOI: | 10.1177/1352458519881428 |