MRI and clinical activity in MS patients after terminating treatment with interferon beta-1b

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 86 - 90
• Main Authors: RICHERT, N. D, ZIERAK, M. C, BASH, C. N, LEWIS, B. K, MCFARLAND, H. F, FRANK, J. A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Arnold 01.04.2000; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic - administration & dosage; Adjuvants, Immunologic - therapeutic use; Adult; b-Interferon; Biological and medical sciences; Cross-Over Studies; Disability Evaluation; Humans; Immunomodulators; Interferon beta-1a; Interferon beta-1b; Interferon-beta - administration & dosage; Interferon-beta - therapeutic use; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Multiple Sclerosis - diagnosis; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Time Factors; Human; Nervous system diseases; Multiple sclerosis; Male; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Inflammatory disease; Case study; Disability; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Treatment withdrawal; Central nervous system disease; Medical imagery; Adult; Evolution; Immunosuppressive agent; Recombinant protein
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1191/135245800678827617

Monthly MRI activity and clinical disability were evaluated in two relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients for 4 years during a cross-over treatment trial with IFNbeta-1b, and for a mean of 21 months after terminating treatment with IFNbeta-1b. Post-treatment MRI activity was compared to baseline activity in these patients. Although contrast enhancing lesions (CEL) and the bulk white matter lesion load (BWMLL) on T2-weighted images eventually returned to baseline values, there was a refractory period of 6 - 10 months after terminating treatment, before baseline MRI activity was restored. Although the mechanism for a sustained effect of IFNbeta-1b is unclear at this time, these results have important implications for enrollment of such patients into new treatment protocols that rely on contrast enhancing lesion frequency as an outcome measure.