| 1. |
- Andersen, Oluf, 1941, et al.
(author)
-
Diffusion tensor imaging in multiple sclerosis at different final outcomes
- 2018
-
In: Acta Neurologica Scandinavica. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1600-0404 .- 0001-6314. ; 137:2, s. 165-173
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES:Methods to evaluate the relative contributions of demyelination vs axonal degeneration over the long-term course of MS are urgently needed. We used magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to estimate degrees of demyelination and axonal degeneration in the corpus callosum (CC) in cases of MS with different final outcomes.MATERIALS AND METHODS:We determined DTI measures mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), and axial (AD) and radial (RD) diffusivities in the CC of 31 MS patients, of whom 13 presented a secondary progressive course, 11 a non-progressive course, and seven a monophasic course. The study participants were survivors from an incidence cohort of 254 attack-onset MS patients with 50 years of longitudinal follow-up. As reference, we included five healthy individuals without significant morbidity.RESULTS:In patients with secondary progression, compared to all other groups, the corpus callosum showed increased RD and reduced FA, but no change in AD. None of the parameters exhibited differences among non-progressive and monophasic course groups and controls.CONCLUSION:Increased RD was observed in secondary progressive MS, indicating significant myelin loss. Normal RD values observed in the clinically isolated syndrome and non-progressive groups confirm their benign nature. AD was not a characterizing parameter for long-term outcome. Demyelination revealed by increased RD is a distinguishing trait for secondary progression.
|
|
| 2. |
- Johnsson, Magnus, 1983, et al.
(author)
-
Serum neurofilament light for detecting disease activity in individual patients in multiple sclerosis: A 48-week prospective single-center study
- 2024
-
In: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS JOURNAL. - 1352-4585 .- 1477-0970.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Serum neurofilament light (sNfL) reflects neuroaxonal damage and is now used as an outcome in treatment trials of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, the diagnostic properties of sNfL for monitoring disease activity in individual patients warrant further investigations. Method: Patients with suspected relapse and/or contrast-enhancing lesions (CELs) were consecutively included and performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain at baseline and weeks 28 and 48. Serum was obtained at baseline and 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 48 weeks. Neurofilament light concentration was measured using Single molecule array technology. Results: We included 44 patients, 40 with RRMS and 4 with clinically isolated syndrome. The median sNfL level peaked at 2 weeks post-baseline (14.6 ng/L, interquartile range (IQR); 9.3-31.6) and reached nadir at 48 weeks (9.1 ng/L, IQR; 5.5-15.0), equivalent to the median sNfL of controls (9.1 ng/L, IQR; 7.4-12). A baseline Z-score of more than 1.1 (area under the curve; 0.78, p < 0.0001) had a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 70% to detect disease activity. Conclusion: One out of five patients with relapse and/or CELs did not change significantly in post-baseline sNfL levels. The utility of repeated sNfL measurements to monitor disease activity is complementary rather than a substitute for clinical and MRI measures.
|
|
| 3. |
- Novakova, Lenka, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Cerebrospinal fluid sulfatide isoforms lack diagnostic utility in separating progressive from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
- 2023
-
In: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders. - 2211-0356. ; 74
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. The glycosphingolipid sulfatide, a lipid particularly enriched in the myelin sheath, has been shown to be involved the maintenance of this specific membrane structure. Sulfatide in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may reflect demyelination, a dominating feature of MS. We investigated the diagnostic utility of CSF sulfatide isoform levels to separate different courses or phenotypes of MS disease.This was a mono-center, cross-sectional study of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) (n=45) and progressive MS (PMS) (n=42) patients (consisting of primary PMS (n=17) and secondary PMS (n=25)) and healthy controls (n=19). In total, 20 sulfatide isoforms were measured in CSF by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.CSF total sulfatide concentrations, as well as CSF sulfatide isoform distribution, did not differ across the study groups, and their levels were independent of disease course/phenotype, disease duration, time to conversion to secondary PMS, age, and disability in MS patients.CSF sulfatide isoforms lack diagnostic and prognostic utility as a biomarker for progressive MS.
|
|
| 4. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Association of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein with progression independent of relapse activity in multiple sclerosis.
- 2024
-
In: Journal of neurology. - 1432-1459.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Insidious disability worsening is a common feature in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Many patients experience progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) despite being treated with high efficacy disease-modifying therapies. We prospectively investigated associations of body-fluid and imaging biomarkers with PIRA.Patients with early RRMS (n=104) were prospectively included and followed up for 60months. All patients were newly diagnosed and previously untreated. PIRA was defined using a composite score including the expanded disability status scale, 9-hole peg test, timed 25 foot walk test, and the symbol digit modalities test. Eleven body fluid and imaging biomarkers were determined at baseline and levels of serum neurofilament light (sNfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) were also measured annually thereafter. Association of baseline biomarkers with PIRA was investigated in multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for clinical and demographic confounding factors. Longitudinal serum biomarker dynamics were investigated in mixed effects models.Only sGFAP was significantly higher in PIRA at baseline (median [IQR] 73.9 [60.9-110.1] vs. 60.3 [45.2-79.9], p=0.01). A cut-off of sGFAP>65 pg/mL resulted in a sensitivity of 68% and specificity of 61%, to detect patients at higher risk of PIRA. In a multivariable logistic regression, sGFAP>65 pg/mL was associated with higher odds of developing PIRA (odds ratio 4.3, 95% CI 1.44-12.86, p=0.009). Repeated measures of sGFAP levels showed that patients with PIRA during follow-up had higher levels of sGFAP along the whole follow-up compared to stable patients (p<0.001).Determination of sGFAP at baseline and follow-up may be useful in capturing disability accrual independent of relapse activity in early RRMS.
|
|
| 5. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Exploring CSF neurofilament light as a biomarker for MS in clinical practice; a retrospective registry-based study
- 2022
-
In: Multiple Sclerosis Journal. - : SAGE Publications. - 1352-4585 .- 1477-0970. ; 28:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Neurofilament light (NFL) has been increasingly recognized for prognostic and therapeutic decisions. Objective: To validate the utility of cerebrospinal fluid NFL (cNFL) as a biomarker in clinical practice of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Methods: RRMS patients (n = 757) who had cNFL analyzed as part of the diagnostic work-up in a single academic multiple sclerosis (MS) center, 2001-2018, were retrospectively identified. cNFL concentrations were determined with two different immunoassays and the ratio of means between them was used for normalization. Results: RRMS with relapse had 4.4 times higher median cNFL concentration (1134 [interquartile range (IQR) 499-2744] ng/L) than those without relapse (264 [125-537] ng/L, p < 0.001) and patients with gadolinium-enhancing lesions had 3.3 times higher median NFL (1414 [606.8-3210] ng/L) than those without (426 [IQR 221-851] ng/L, p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of cNFL to detect disease activity was 75% and 98.5%, respectively. High cNFL at MS onset predicted progression to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) > 3 (p < 0.001, hazard ratios (HR) = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.44-2.65) and conversion to secondary progressive MS (SPMS, p = 0.001, HR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.4-4.2). Conclusions: cNFL is a robust and reliable biomarker of disease activity, treatment response, and prediction of disability and conversion from RRMS to SPMS. Our data suggest that cNFL should be included in the assessment of patients at MS-onset.
|
|
| 6. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
High levels of kappa free light chain synthesis predict cognitive decline in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
- 2023
-
In: FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-3224. ; 14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundEvolving evidence suggests that measurement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) kappa free light chain (KFLC) synthesis has high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for multiple sclerosis (MS), but its prognostic ability is less investigated. The usefulness of KFLC in predicting cognitive impairment (CI) is still unknown. MethodsIn a monocentric longitudinal retrospecitve cohort study, KFLC-index ([CSF KFLC/serum KFLC]/[CSF albumin/serum albumin]) measured by latex-enhanced immunonephelometry was prospectively determined as part of the diagnostic workup in patients with early relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS, n=77). The ability of KFLC-index to predict information processing speed (IPS) worsening as assessed with the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) was investigated in univariable and multivariable models. ResultsIn patients with KFLC-index>100 (n=31), 11 subjects (35.5%) showed reduced SDMT scores by >= 8 points at follow-up (mean follow-up time 7.3 +/- 2.6 years), compared with their baseline scores (p=0.01). Baseline KFLC-index>100 was strongly associated with a higher hazard of SDMT score reduction at follow-up (adjusted hazard ratio 10.5, 95% confidence interval 2.2-50.8, p=0.003; median time to SDMT reduction 7 years). ConclusionIntrathecal KFLC synthesis has become an attractive diagnostic tool for MS. We show for the first time that in a real-world setting of early RRMS, KFLC-index predicted cognitive decline. Whether this predictive ability of KFLC-index also concerns other cognitive domains than IPS, warrants further investigations.
|
|
| 7. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Increased intrathecal neurofilament light and immunoglobulin M predict severe disability in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
- 2022
-
In: Frontiers in Immunology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-3224. ; 13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundEmerging evidence supports that determination of intrathecal immunoglobulin M (IgM) synthesis (ITMS) and neurofilament light (NfL) concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be clinically useful as disease severity biomarkers in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). MethodsMonocentric observational longitudinal cohort study in which prospectively collected data were retrospectively retrieved. Included were patients with RRMS (n=457) who had a diagnostic investigation including analysis of ITMS and CSF neurofilament light (cNfL). ITMS was calculated with the linear index formula, the intrathecal fraction of IgM according to Reiber (IgM(IF)), and by qualitative determination of oligoclonal IgM bands (OCMB). Univariable and multivariable models were performed to predict Evidence of Disease Activity-3 (EDA-3) status within 24 months from onset, and the risk of Expanded Disability Status Score (EDSS) >= 3 and >= 6. ResultsAll investigated methods to calculate ITMS significantly predicted evidence of disease activity (EDA-3) within 24 months. IgM(IF)>0% showed the strongest association with EDA-3 status (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 3.7, 95%CI 2.7-5, p<0.001). Combining IgM-index>0.1 or OCMB with increased cNfL were strong predictors of EDSS >= 3 (for cNfL(+)/IgM-index(+): aHR 4.6, 95%CI 2.6-8.2, p<0.001) and EDSS >= 6 (aHR 8.2, 95%CI 2.3-30, p<0.001). ConclusionsIn a real-world setting, ITMS was a useful biomarker in early RRMS to predict disabling MS and its prognostic value was even stronger in combination with cNfL. Our data suggest that determination of ITMS and cNfL should be included in the diagnostic work-up of RRMS for prognostic purposes and in decisions of disease-modifying therapy.
|
|
| 8. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Intrathecal kappa free light chain synthesis is associated with worse prognosis in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
- 2023
-
In: Journal of Neurology. - 0340-5354. ; 270:10, s. 4800-4811
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundWhile kappa free light chain (KFLC) index has become a useful diagnostic biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS), its prognostic properties are less explored. B cells play a crucial role in MS pathogenesis, but the impact from increased intrathecal production of immunoglobulins and KFLC remains to be determined. Recently, it has become evident that insidious worsening is not confined to progressive MS but is also common in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a feature known as progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA).MethodsWe retrospectively identified 131 patients with clinically isolated syndrome or early RRMS who had determined KFLC index as part of their diagnostic workup. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the Swedish MS registry. Associations of baseline KFLC index with evidence of disease activity (EDA) and PIRA were investigated in multivariable cox proportional hazards regression models.ResultsKFLC index was significantly higher in PIRA (median 148.5, interquartile range [IQR] 106.9-253.5) compared with non-PIRA (78.26, IQR 28.93-186.5, p = 0.009). In a multivariable cox regression model adjusted for confounders, KFLC index emerged as an independent risk factor for PIRA (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.005, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.002-1.008, p = 0.002). Dichotomized by the cut-off value KFLC index > 100, patients with KFLC index > 100 had an almost fourfold increase in the risk for developing PIRA. KFLC index was also predictive of evidence of disease activity during follow-up.ConclusionsOur data indicate that high KFLC index at baseline is predictive of PIRA, EDA-3, and overall worse prognosis in MS.
|
|
| 9. |
- Rosenstein, Igal, 1984, et al.
(author)
-
Kappa free light chain index as a diagnostic biomarker in multiple sclerosis: A real-world investigation
- 2021
-
In: Journal of Neurochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0022-3042 .- 1471-4159. ; 159:3, s. 618-628
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Kappa free light chain (KFLC) index, a measure for intrathecal production of free kappa chains, has been increasingly recognized for its diagnostic potential in multiple sclerosis (MS) as a quantitative alternative to IgG oligoclonal bands (OCBs). Our objective was to investigate the sensitivity, specificity, and overall diagnostic accuracy of KFLC index in MS. KFLC index was prospectively determined as part of the diagnostic workup in patients with suspected MS (n = 327) between May 2013 and February 2020. Patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), radiologically isolated syndrome (RIS), and MS had markedly higher KFLC index (44.6, IQR 16-128) compared with subjects with other neuro-inflammatory disorders (ONID) and symptomatic controls (SC) (2.19, IQR 1.68-2.98, p < 0.001). KFLC index had a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI 0.88-0.95) and specificity of 0.87 (95% CI 0.8-0.92) to discriminate CIS/RIS/MS from ONID and SC (AUC 0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.97, p < 0.001). KFLC index and intrathecal fraction (IF) KFLC had similar accuracies to detect MS. Treatment with disease-modifying therapy (DMT) did not influence the level of KFLC index and it was not affected by demographic factors or associated with degenerative or inflammatory biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). KFLC index in MS diagnostics has methodological advantages compared to OCB and is independent to subjective interpretation. Moreover, it is an attractive diagnostic tool since the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of KFLC index are similar with that of OCBs and KFLCIF and better than for IgG index. We show that KFLC index was influenced neither by DMT nor by demographic factors or other inflammatory or degenerative processes in MS as determined by biomarkers in CSF.
|
|
| 10. |
- Alping, P., et al.
(author)
-
Rituximab versus Fingolimod after Natalizumab in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
- 2016
-
In: Annals of Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0364-5134 .- 1531-8249. ; 79:6, s. 950-958
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Many JC virus antibody-positive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients who are stable on natalizumab switch to other therapies to avoid progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Methods: We compared outcomes for all RRMS patients switching from natalizumab due to JC virus antibody positivity at 3 Swedish multiple sclerosis centers with different preferential use of rituximab and fingolimod (Stockholm, n = 156, fingolimod 51%; Gothenburg, n = 64, fingolimod 88%; Umea, n = 36, fingolimod 19%), yielding a total cohort of N = 256 (fingolimod 55%). Results: Within 1.5 years of cessation of natalizumab, 1.8% (rituximab) and 17.6% (fingolimod) of patients experienced a clinical relapse (hazard ratio for rituximab = 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.02-0.43). The hazard ratio (favoring rituximab) for adverse events (5.3% vs 21.1%) and treatment discontinuation (1.8% vs 28.2%) were 0.25 (95% CI = 0.10-0.59) and 0.07 (95% CI = 0.02-0.30), respectively. Furthermore, contrast-enhancing lesions were found in 1.4% (rituximab) versus 24.2% (fingolimod) of magnetic resonance imaging examinations (odds ratio = 0.05, 95% CI = 0.00-0.22). Differences remained when adjusting for possible confounders (age, sex, disability status, time on natalizumab, washout time, follow-up time, and study center). Interpretation: Our findings suggest an improved effectiveness and tolerability of rituximab compared with fingolimod in stable RRMS patients who switch from natalizumab due to JC virus antibody positivity. Although residual confounding factors cannot be ruled out, the shared reason for switching from natalizumab and the preferential use of either rituximab or fingolimod in 2 of the centers mitigates these concerns.
|
|
