Milanese C, Beghi E, Giordano L, La Mantia L, Mascoli N, Confalonieri P
Multiple Sclerosis Center, National Neurological Institute C. Besta, Via Celoria 11, I-20133, Milan, Italy.
Neurol Sci. 2005 Dec;26 Suppl 4:S171-3. doi: 10.1007/s10072-005-0509-3.
The preliminary results of a post-marketing study on relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients treated with immunomodulating agents attending the Lombardia Region's Multiple Sclerosis Centers are presented. A total of 294 patients treated with Betaferon (67), Avonex (115), Rebif 22 (45), Rebif 44 (18) and Copaxone (49) were included. Relapse frequency consistently decreases at 1 year and continues to decrease after 5 years of treatment, without differences between therapeutic groups. Eighty-seven out of 294 patients (29.6%) discontinued treatment for different reasons. Forty-eight of them shifted to a second therapeutic agent. A different trend, to lower or higher doses of interferon or immunosuppression, according to reasons of discontinuation, was observed.
