Abstract
Monthly MRI activity and clinical disability were evaluated in two relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients for 4 years during a crossover treatment trial with IFNβ-1b, and for a mean of 21 months after terminating treatment with IFNβ-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 IFNβ-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.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 86-90 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Multiple Sclerosis |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - Apr 2000 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Interferon beta-1b
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Multiple sclerosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology