Experience in the treatment of multiple sclerosis with interferon beta in Galicia
To analyze the experience in daily clinical practice of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in relapsing-remitting (RR) and secondary progressive (SP) multiple sclerosis (MS) in Galicia (Spain). Patients with RR-MS and SP-MS treated with IFN-beta1a and 1b between 1995 and December/2000, analyzing d...
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Published in | Revista de neurologiá Vol. 37; no. 11; pp. 1001 - 1004 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | Spanish |
Published |
Spain
01.12.2003
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | To analyze the experience in daily clinical practice of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) treatment in relapsing-remitting (RR) and secondary progressive (SP) multiple sclerosis (MS) in Galicia (Spain).
Patients with RR-MS and SP-MS treated with IFN-beta1a and 1b between 1995 and December/2000, analyzing demographic and clinical data.
313 patients were included, with a mean age of 38.2 years. A total of 296 patients (94.6%) were clinically defined MS and 17 (5.4%) were laboratory supported (Poser criteria); 84.6% of the patients were RR and 15.4% were SP. The mean duration of the disease prior to treatment was 7.06 years. Betaferon was used in 52.4% patients (115 RR-MS and 47 SP-MS), Avonex in 26% and Rebif in 21.6%. Relapse rate was reduced in 68.8% for the RR-MS for Betaferon-treated patients, 73.3% for Avonex treated and 35.7% for Rebif-treated patients. Betaferon reduced relapse rate in 50% for SP-MS. The global EDSS remained stable during IFN-beta treatment. During treatment, 33% of Betaferon, 60.5% of Avonex and 54.5% of Rebif-treated patients remained relapse-free. Treatment was suspended in 12.9% of Betaferon, 6.2% of Avonex, and 3% Rebif-treated patients. The most frequent causes of treatment suspension were increase in disability and in relapse count.
The present study supports the benefits of IFN-beta treatment in RR MS and SP MS in daily clinical practice, with reduction in relapses count and incapacity, good over-all tolerance and low incidence of serious adverse side-effects. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0210-0010 1576-6578 |
DOI: | 10.33588/rn.3711.2003436 |