Understanding the complex network of objectively assessed cognition and self-reported psychological symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Literature on the intricate relationship between self-reported and objectively assessed cognitive functioning suggests a discrepancy between self-reported cognitive complaints (SCC) and actual test performance.

Objectives: To investigate the interplay between patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and objective cognitive functioning using network analysis in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Methods: We collected PROMs on anxiety, depression, fatigue and SCC, and cognitive functioning across six domains ( = 703 PwMS; 71% female, mean age = 46.

Serum neurofilament light and glial fibrillary acidic protein levels are not associated with wearing-off symptoms in natalizumab-treated multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: Biomarkers of neuronal and axonal damage (serum neurofilament light (sNfL) and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP)) may provide insight into the aetiology of natalizumab wearing-off symptoms (WoSs).

Objectives: We investigated the longitudinal association between and predictive value of sNfL and sGFAP and the occurrence of WoS in MS patients treated with natalizumab.

Methods: We performed longitudinal measurements of sNfL and sGFAP in NEXT-MS trial participants who completed a questionnaire about WoS.

Subtypes and location of (juxta)cortical lesions relate to cognitive dysfunction in people with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Cortical lesion subtypes' occurrence and distribution across networks may shed light on cognitive impairment (CI) in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: In 332 people with MS, lesions were classified as intracortical, leukocortical or juxtacortical based on artificially generated double inversion-recovery images.

Results: CI-related leukocortical lesion count increases were greatest within sensorimotor and cognitive networks ( < 0.

Disease progression in the first 5 years of treatment in multiple sclerosis: Predictive value of early brain and lesion volume changes.

Background: Whether the degree of inflammation (and its resolution) and neurodegeneration after treatment initiation predicts disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains unclear.

Objectives: To assess the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived brain and lesion volume (LV) changes in years 1 and 2 of treatment for disease progression.

Methods: Patients receiving early interferon beta-1a treatment in REFLEX/REFLEXION ( = 262) were included.

Prospective trial of natalizumab personalised extended interval dosing by therapeutic drug monitoring in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (NEXT-MS).

Background: Extended interval dosing (EID) of natalizumab is a promising strategy to optimise treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS). Personalised EID by therapeutic drug monitoring can enable further extension of treatment intervals.

Methods: The NEXT-MS trial is an investigator-initiated prospective phase IV non-randomised study.

Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein in natalizumab-treated relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: An alternative to neurofilament light.

Background: There is a need in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) treatment for biomarkers that monitor neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, treatment response, and disease progression despite treatment.

Objective: To assess the value of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) as a biomarker for clinical disease progression and brain volume measurements in natalizumab-treated RRMS patients.

Methods: sGFAP and neurofilament light (sNfL) were measured in an observational cohort of natalizumab-treated RRMS patients at baseline, +3, +12, and +24 months and at the last sample follow-up (median 5.

Neurophysiological MEG markers of cognitive impairment and performance validity in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Suboptimal performance during neuropsychological testing frequently occurs in multiple sclerosis (MS), leading to unreliable cognitive outcomes. Neurophysiological alterations correlate with MS-related cognitive impairment, but studies have not yet considered performance validity.

Objectives: To investigate neurophysiological markers of cognitive impairment in MS, while explicitly addressing performance validity.

Use of follow-on disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis: Consensus recommendations.

Background: As patents for multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies expire, follow-on disease-modifying treatments (FO-DMTs) become available at reduced cost. Concerns exist that cheaper FO-DMTs are used simply to reduce healthcare costs. However, the well-being of people with MS should take priority.

Mapping the risk of infections in patients with multiple sclerosis: A multi-database study in the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD and Aurum.

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) have an increased risk of infections; risk factors include underlying disease, physical impairment and use of some disease-modifying treatments.

Objective: To quantify changes in population-level infection rates among pwMS and compare these to the general population and people with rheumatoid arthritis (pwRA), and identify patient characteristics predictive of infections after MS diagnosis.

Methods: We conducted a multi-database study using data on 23,226 people with MS diagnosis from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum and GOLD (January 2000-December 2020).

Natalizumab concentrations during pregnancy in three patients with multiple sclerosis.

In women with very active multiple sclerosis (MS), natalizumab can be continued during pregnancy to prevent rebound disease activity. Our aim was to evaluate changes in serum natalizumab trough concentrations during pregnancy. Blood samples of 3 patients were collected before, during, and after pregnancy.

Feasibility of cognitive rehabilitation in patients with advanced multiple sclerosis: A pilot study.

Background: The feasibility of cognitive rehabilitation is rarely investigated in patients with advanced multiple sclerosis.

Methods: Eighteen patients with advanced multiple sclerosis (median EDSS = 7.5) were randomized into restorative or compensatory cognitive rehabilitation.

Personalized B-cell tailored dosing of ocrelizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this observational study, 159 patients with multiple sclerosis received personalized dosing of ocrelizumab incentivized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Re-dosing was scheduled when CD19 B-cell count was ⩾10 cells/µL (starting 24 weeks after the previous dose, repeated 4-weekly). Median interval until re-dosing or last B-cell count was 34 [30-38] weeks.

Disability in multiple sclerosis is related to thalamic connectivity and cortical network atrophy.

Background: Thalamic atrophy is proposed to be a major predictor of disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS), while thalamic function remains understudied.

Objectives: To study how thalamic functional connectivity (FC) is related to disability and thalamic or cortical network atrophy in two large MS cohorts.

Methods: Structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was obtained in 673 subjects from Amsterdam (MS:  = 332, healthy controls (HC):  = 96) and Graz (MS:  = 180, HC:  = 65) with comparable protocols, including disability measurements in MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS).

Increased functional sensorimotor network efficiency relates to disability in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Network abnormalities could help explain physical disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), which remains poorly understood.

Objective: This study investigates functional network efficiency changes in the sensorimotor system.

Methods: We included 222 MS patients, divided into low disability (LD, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ⩽3.

Differential item functioning of the Arm function in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (AMSQ) by language, a study in six countries.

Background: The Arm function in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (AMSQ) has been developed as a self-reported measure of arm and hand functioning for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The AMSQ was originally developed in Dutch and to date translated into five languages (i.e.

Leveraging real-world data to investigate multiple sclerosis disease behavior, prognosis, and treatment.

Randomized controlled clinical trials and real-world observational studies provide complementary information but with different validity. Some clinical questions (disease behavior, prognosis, validation of outcome measures, comparative effectiveness, and long-term safety of therapies) are often better addressed using real-world data reflecting larger, more representative populations. Integration of disease history, clinician-reported outcomes, performance tests, and patient-reported outcome measures during patient encounters; imaging and biospecimen analyses; and data from wearable devices increase dataset utility.

Infratentorial and spinal cord lesions: Cumulative predictors of long-term disability?

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether early infratentorial and/or spinal cord lesions are long-term cumulative predictors of disability progression in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods: We selected 153 MS patients from the longitudinal Amsterdam MS cohort. Lesion analysis was performed at baseline and year 2.

Infusion-related events during natalizumab: No need for post-infusion monitoring.

This retrospective cohort study assessed the timing of infusion-related adverse events (IAEs) during natalizumab (NTZ) administration in well-documented relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients who had received NTZ infusions in our centre between 2006 and 2018. In 225 RRMS patients (14,174 NTZ infusions), 276 IAEs (1.95%) occurred in 60 patients.

Minimal clinically important difference of improvement on the Arm Function in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (AMSQ).

Background: The Arm Function in Multiple Sclerosis Questionnaire (AMSQ) has been developed to assess upper extremity function of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A minimal clinically important difference (MCID) value has not been determined yet.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine an MCID for AMSQ.

Resting-state MEG measurement of functional activation as a biomarker for cognitive decline in MS.

Background: Neurophysiological measures of brain function, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), are widely used in clinical neurology and have strong relations with cognitive impairment and dementia but are still underdeveloped in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objectives: To demonstrate the value of clinically applicable MEG-measures in evaluating cognitive impairment in MS.

Methods: In eyes-closed resting-state, MEG data of 83 MS patients and 34 healthy controls (HCs) peak frequencies and relative power of six canonical frequency bands for 78 cortical and 10 deep gray matter (DGM) areas were calculated.