Discontinuation of first-line disease-modifying therapy in relapse onset multiple sclerosis.

Background: It is not known if and when first-line disease modifying therapy (DMT) can safely be discontinued in relapse onset multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Objectives: To investigate the characteristics of patients who discontinued first-line DMT, and the occurrence of clinical and radiological inflammatory disease activity after discontinuation.

Methods: We collected clinical and MRI parameters from patients with relapse onset MS in the MS Center Amsterdam and Rijnstate Hospital Arnhem who discontinued first-line DMT with no intention of restarting or switching treatment.