Abstract
Whereas the effect of interferons (IFNs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) outcome measures in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been convincingly shown, little work has been done to define the between–patient heterogeneity of treatment response. Our aim was to assess the distribution of the effect of IFNβ– 1b in terms of reduction of active T2 lesions in patients with MS. Using a fixed and a random effects model, we investigated the distribution of active T2 lesions reduction over a three–year follow up in response to treatment with 250mcg IFNβ–1b every other day in 695 patients with a complete MRI data–set of the 718 (97 %) enrolled in the European, multicenter, randomised, double–blind, placebocontrolled trial of secondary progressive MS.
The two statistical models consistently showed that the betweenpatient response to IFNβ–1b, in terms of reduction of active T2 lesions, is highly heterogeneous. Whereas treated patients have a high probability (more than 65%) of showing an active T2 lesion reduction equal to or greater than 60%, there is also a 7% probability for treated patients not to show any reduction of MRI–detected disease activity during the course of the trial or even to have an increase of T2 active lesions. This study might be regarded as a first step toward the definition of markers potentially useful to identify IFNβ treatment responders and non–responders with regard to T2 lesion activity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
European Study Group on Interferon Beta–1b in Secondary Progressive MS (1998) Placebo–controlled multicentre randomised trial of Interferon Beta–1b in treatment of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Lancet 352: 1491–1497
Kappos L, Polman C, Pozzilli C, Thompson A, Beckmann K, Dahlke F (2001) Final analysis of the European multicenter trial on IFNbeta–1b in secondary– progressive MS. Neurology 57:1969–1975
Kuhle J, Hardmeier M, Hooghe D, Schmierer K, Polman C, Achiti I, Kappos L, EUSPMS Longterm Follow–Up Study Group (2004) 8 year follow–up of the European Study of Interferon beta–1b (EUSPMS) in Secondary Progressive MS. Neurology 62(Suppl 5):A489–A490 (Abstract)
Miller DH, Molyneux PD, Barker GJ, MacManus DG, Moseley IF, Wagner K (1999) Effect of interferon–beta1b on magnetic resonance imaging outcomes in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis: results of a European multicenter, randomized, double–blind, placebocontrolled trial. Ann Neurol 46:850–859
Polman CH, Uitdehaag BM (2003) New and emerging treatment options for multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2:563–566
Sormani MP, Bruzzi P, Miller DH, Gasperini C, Barkhof F, Filippi M (1999) Modelling MRI enhancing lesion counts in multiple sclerosis using a negative binomial model: implications for clinical trials. J Neurol Sci 163:74–80
Spiegelhalter DJ, Thomas A, Best NG (1999) WinBUGS Version 1. 2 User Manual. MRC Biostatistics Unit
Stone LA, Frank JA, Albert PS, Bash CN, Calabresi PA, Maloni H, McFarland HF (1997) Characterization of MRI response to treatment with interferon beta–1b: contrast–enhancing MRI lesion frequency as a primary outcome measure. Neurology 9:862–869
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sormani, M.P., Bruzzi, P., Beckmann, K. et al. The distribution of magnetic resonance imaging response to interferonβ–1b in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol 252, 1455–1458 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-005-0885-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-005-0885-x