Publications by authors named "F Konen"
A wide variety of immunomodulatory therapies are already available for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Through fundamental insights from basic research with a gain of knowledge in the pathological processes underlying MS, the exploration of additional medical compounds within clinical trials has been ignited. Emerging novel medications with innovative mechanisms of action are being introduced.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFC5 complement inhibition versus FcRn modulation in generalised myasthenia gravis.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
January 2025
Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder affecting neuromuscular junctions, leading to fluctuating muscle weakness. While many patients respond well to standard immunosuppression, a substantial subgroup faces ongoing disease activity. Emerging treatments such as complement factor C5 inhibition (C5IT) and neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) antagonism hold promise for these patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- B-cell-depletion with CD20 antibodies, specifically ocrelizumab (OCR) and ofatumumab (OFA), is an effective treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS), but their comparative effectiveness in real-world settings was previously unknown.
- A cohort study involving 1,138 RMS patients was conducted in Germany, using propensity-score matching to compare the outcomes of OCR and OFA treatment, focusing on clinical relapses, MRI lesion changes, and disability progression.
- Results showed that OFA was non-inferior to OCR in overall effectiveness, but differences were noted in patients switching from other therapies, highlighting the need for more research on these specific cases.
Article Synopsis
- Diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) is complicated by varied symptoms and lack of specific biomarkers, compounded by the presence of concurrent autoimmune diseases (AID) and non-specific antibodies, which can hinder effective management.* -
- A study conducted on 315 patients from 2010 to 2017 revealed that 13.7% had concurrent AID, with autoimmune thyroiditis being the most common, but these conditions did not significantly affect MS progression or relapse rates over a median follow-up of 9 months.* -
- The findings suggest that while AIDs are prevalent at the onset of MS, they do not influence neurofilament light (NfL) levels, indicative of similar disease activity, pointing to a need
Background: Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by sicca symptoms and various extraglandular manifestations including vasculitis. Neurological involvement occurs frequently (Neuro-Sjögren) and often mimics immune neuropathies such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
Objectives: We aim to assess relevant differences in vessel density (VD) in Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) in those diseases to use it as an easily available diagnostic tool.