Enhanced benefit of increasing interferon beta-1a dose and frequency in relapsing multiple sclerosis - The EVIDENCE study

• Background: The EVIDENCE (Evidence of Interferon Dose-Response: European North American Comparative Efficacy) Study demonstrated that patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who initiate interferon beta-la therapy with 44 μ g 3 times weekly (TIW) were less likely to have a relapse or activity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared with those who initiate therapy at a dosage of 30 μ g 1 time weekly (QW). Objective: To determine the effect of changing the dosage from 30 μ g QW to 44 μ g TIW in this extension of the EVIDENCE StudyDesign/Patients: Patients with relapsing MS originally randomized to interferon beta-1a, 30 μ g QW, during the comparative phase of the study changed to 44 μ g TIW, whereas patients originally randomized to 44 μ g TIW continued that regimen. Patients were followed up, on average, for an additional 32 weeks. Main Outcome Measure: The within-patient pretransition to posttransition change in relapse rate. Results: At the transition visit, 223 (73%) of 306 patients receiving 30 μ g QW converted to 44 μ g TIW, and 272 (91%) of 299 receiving 44-μ g TIW continued the same therapy. The posttransition annualized relapse rate decreased from 0.64 to 0.32 for patients increasing the dose (P<.001) and from 0.46 to 0.34 for patients continuing 44-μ g TIW (P =.03). The change was greater in those increasing dose and frequency (P=.047). Patients converting to the 44-μ g,TIW regimen had fewer active lesions on T2-weighted MRI compared with-before the transition (P=.02), whereas those continuing the 44-μ g TIW regimen had no significant change in T2 active lesions. Patients who converted to high-dose/high-frequency interferon beta-la therapy had increased rates of adverse events and treatment terminations consistent with the initiation of high-dose subcutaneous interferon therapy. Conclusions: Patients receiving interferon beta-la improved on clinical and MRI disease measures when they changed from 30μ g QW to 44 μ g TIW.

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MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

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