Interferon beta treatment for multiple sclerosis has a graduated effect on MRI enhancing lesions according to their size and pathology
Open Access
- 1 September 1999
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
- Vol. 67 (3), 386-389
- https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.67.3.386
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The ability of recombinant human interferon β-1a (rh-IFN β-1a) to suppress multiple sclerosis activity, evaluated from MRI, was assessed across a range of lesions enhancing at different gadolinium-DTPA (Gd) doses and with different sizes. METHODS Every 4 weeks, standard dose (Sd; 0.1 mmol/kg Gd) and triple dose (Td; 0.3 mmol/kgGd) MRI were obtained from 18 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for 3 months before and 4 months after starting treatment with 44 μg rh-IFN β-1a subcutaneously, once a week. RESULTS The total numbers of enhancing lesions were 145 and 126 on Sd scans and 278 and 192 on the Td scans obtained before and after treatment. The introduction of treatment decreased, on average, the rate of appearance of new enhancing lesions seen on Sd and Td scans by 37% (pCONCLUSIONS The effect of 44 μg rh-IFN β-1a in reducing multiple sclerosis disease activity, as monitored by Gd enhanced MRI, is not homogeneous, but graduated according to the pathological characteristics and size of the lesions.Keywords
This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit:
- Magnetic resonance studies of intramuscular interferon β–1a for relapsing multiple sclerosisAnnals of Neurology, 1998
- A high‐resolution three‐dimensional T1‐weighted gradient echo sequence improves the detection of disease activity in multiple sclerosisAnnals of Neurology, 1996
- Magnetic resonance imaging changes with recombinant human interferon-beta-1a: a short term study in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 1996
- Defining the clinical course of multiple sclerosisNeurology, 1996
- Intramuscular interferon beta‐1a for disease progression in relapsing multiple sclerosisAnnals of Neurology, 1996
- Interferon beta‐lb in the treatment of multiple sclerosisNeurology, 1995
- The effect of interferon‐β on blood—brain barrier disruptions demonstrated by constrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosisAnnals of Neurology, 1995
- Magnetic resonance imaging in monitoring the treatment of multiple sclerosis: concerted action guidelines.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 1991
- Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosisNeurology, 1983
- New diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: Guidelines for research protocolsAnnals of Neurology, 1983