Publications by authors named "Hijfte L"
Utility of icobrain for brain volumetry in multiple sclerosis clinical practice.
Mult Scler Relat Disord
December 2024
Background: Few studies on multiple sclerosis (MS) have explored the variability of percentage brain volume change (PBVC) measurements obtained from different clinical MRIs. In a retrospective multicentre cohort study, we quantified the variability of annualised PBVC in clinical MRIs.
Methods: Clinical MRIs of relapse-onset MS patients were assessed by icobrain.
Background: The relationship between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse and disease progression remains unclear. Previous studies are limited by small sample sizes and most lack a propensity-matched control cohort.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 infection on MS disease course with a large propensity-matched cohort.
Article Synopsis
- Accurate grading of IDH-mutant gliomas is crucial for predicting patient outcomes and selecting treatment strategies, yet histological grading remains difficult, with limited molecular markers available.
- Researchers performed RNA-sequencing on 138 IDH-mutant astrocytomas from the CATNON trial and analyzed multi-omics data to create a Continuous Grading Coefficient (CGC), which proved to be a better survival predictor than current grading systems.
- The study identified four distinct transcriptional clusters linked to various gene expression patterns, revealing that higher-grade IDH-mutant astrocytomas exhibit DNA-methylation signatures correlated with increased cell cycling, tumor de-differentiation, and changes in the extracellular matrix.
Phenotyping vestibulocochlear manifestations in Susac syndrome: a cohort study.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to understand how the vestibulocochlear system is affected in patients with Susac syndrome (SuS), which is a rare condition that impacts the brain, eyes, and inner ear.
- A review of 21 patient files shows that most experienced various audiovestibular symptoms, including vertigo and sensorineural hearing loss, with specific audiological and vestibular testing revealing common patterns of dysfunction.
- The findings suggest that early treatment with immunosuppressive therapy can help prevent severe audiovestibular problems, indicating the need for more research to understand the underlying causes and improve patient outcomes.
Background: Comparisons between cladribine and other potent immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking.
Objectives: To compare the effectiveness of cladribine against fingolimod, natalizumab, ocrelizumab and alemtuzumab in relapsing-remitting MS.
Methods: Patients with relapsing-remitting MS treated with cladribine, fingolimod, natalizumab, ocrelizumab or alemtuzumab were identified in the global MSBase cohort and two additional UK centres.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the effectiveness of various cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) kappa free light chain (κFLC) measures as diagnostic markers for multiple sclerosis (MS), highlighting discrepancies in cutoff values across two different testing methods.
- A total of 263 participants were analyzed, and results showed significant differences in optimal diagnostic cutoff values and sensitivity rates for the κFLC index, κIgG index, and CSF κFLC/IgG ratio between the two reference centers.
- Both testing methods produced identical results for isolated CSF κFLC, suggesting a reliable benchmark for MS diagnosis, while also indicating that κFLC and κIgG indices offer higher diagnostic performance compared to traditional methods.
Routine CSF parameters as predictors of disease course in multiple sclerosis: an MSBase cohort study.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
October 2024
Background: It remains unclear whether routine cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters can serve as predictors of multiple sclerosis (MS) disease course.
Methods: This large-scale cohort study included persons with MS with CSF data documented in the MSBase registry. CSF parameters to predict time to reach confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores 4, 6 and 7 and annualised relapse rate in the first 2 years after diagnosis (ARR2) were assessed using (cox) regression analysis.
Accurate grading of IDH-mutant gliomas defines patient prognosis and guides the treatment path. Histological grading is however difficult and, apart from CDKN2A/B homozygous deletions in IDH-mutant astrocytomas, there are no other objective molecular markers used for grading. Experimental Design: RNA-sequencing was conducted on primary IDH-mutant astrocytomas (n=138) included in the prospective CATNON trial, which was performed to assess the prognostic effect of adjuvant and concurrent temozolomide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccess to, standardization and reimbursement of multidisciplinary care for people with MS (PwMS) is lacking in many countries. Therefore, this study aims to describe the current multidisciplinary care for people with MS (PwMS) in Belgium and identify benefits, needs and future perspectives METHODS: A survey for PwMS questioned various aspects of MS and viewpoints on care. For MS nurses (MSN) and neurologists, employment, education, job-content, care organization and perspectives were inquired.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Susac syndrome (SuS) is a rare, autoimmune, neurological disease characterized by a clinical triad of branch retinal artery occlusion, sensorineural hearing loss and encephalopathy. Neuropsychological functioning in SuS is little researched and the prevalence, nature, and evolution over time of cognitive deficits in SuS remain unclear. This study aimed to better understand the long-term neuropsychological outcomes of patients with SuS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (AHSCT) is available for treatment of highly active multiple sclerosis (MS).
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of AHSCT vs fingolimod, natalizumab, and ocrelizumab in relapsing-remitting MS by emulating pairwise trials.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This comparative treatment effectiveness study included 6 specialist MS centers with AHSCT programs and international MSBase registry between 2006 and 2021.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates geographical differences in the risk of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) and how these may be influenced by factors like latitude and treatment types.
- It utilizes data from a global patient registry, focusing on relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients and factors such as age, sex, and treatment efficacy.
- The research analyzes data from over 51,000 patients across 27 countries to establish patterns in the progression from relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive phases of the disease.
Article Synopsis
- Ocrelizumab, a targeted monoclonal antibody for treating relapsing-remitting MS, significantly reduces relapse rates and disability compared to interferon beta 1a, while rituximab is often used off-label as an alternative.
- This study aimed to determine if rituximab's effectiveness is comparable (noninferior) to that of ocrelizumab in treating relapsing-remitting MS.
- The observational study included over 1600 patients from MS registries with matched baseline characteristics, focusing on annual relapse rates as the primary outcome measure.
Article Synopsis
- The discussion on industrial Medicinal Chemistry highlighted the growth in the chemical modality space, shifting from small molecules to tackle more complex targets.
- The importance of drug design now includes considerations for environmental sustainability alongside traditional optimization techniques.
- Future Medicinal Chemists will need to excel in synthetic chemistry while also acquiring knowledge in data sciences and teamwork skills to navigate the evolving landscape influenced by biotech and digital companies.
Article Synopsis
- The study highlights the risk of increased disease activity after stopping natalizumab, emphasizing the need for effective alternative therapies to manage relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
- It compares the effectiveness of switching to three disease-modifying therapies—dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, and ocrelizumab—following natalizumab discontinuation among RRMS patients.
- The analysis included data from 1386 patients and focused on outcomes like annualized relapse rate and time to first relapse, revealing important insights into treatment persistence and effectiveness for managing disease after discontinuing natalizumab.
Disability accrual in primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
September 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study compares disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), revealing that SPMS has a later onset and slower disability accrual compared to PPMS.* -
- Analysis utilized data from the MSBase cohort, adjusting for factors like age, sex, and drug therapies, and included 1,872 PPMS patients and 2,575 SPMS patients.* -
- Findings suggest that although SPMS patients start with greater baseline disability, their slower progression may lead to similar disability levels over time, indicating the need for careful consideration when combining these groups in clinical trials.*
Article Synopsis
- Researchers studied glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, to improve treatments by looking at how these tumors change over time.
- They used special tests (RNA sequencing) on tumor samples from patients to see how the cells and their environment evolve when the tumors come back after treatment.
- The study found that instead of changing the main cancer genes, the tumors' surroundings changed a lot, which affected how patients did after their tumors came back.
Background: The prognostic significance of non-disabling relapses in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is unclear.
Objective: To determine whether early non-disabling relapses predict disability accumulation in RRMS.
Methods: We redefined mild relapses in MSBase as 'non-disabling', and moderate or severe relapses as 'disabling'.
Susac syndrome (SuS) is a rare immune-mediated endotheliopathy that affects the brain, retina and inner ear and is characterised by the variable clinical triad of encephalopathy, visual and vestibulocochlear dysfunction. Here, we present clinical and paraclinical data of 19 SuS patients followed at Ghent University Hospital and highlight some atypical clinical and novel radiological findings. Our findings suggest that spinal involvement expands the clinical phenotype of SuS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: This study assessed the effect of patient characteristics on the response to disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods: We extracted data from 61,810 patients from 135 centers across 35 countries from the MSBase registry. The selection criteria were: clinically isolated syndrome or definite MS, follow-up ≥ 1 year, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≥ 3, with ≥1 score recorded per year.
Article Synopsis
- Spatial transcriptomics is a new technique that combines RNA expression data with information about tissue context, but there's a lack of quality assessments from users.
- In this study, the researchers analyzed data from the NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiling platform across 12 glioma samples, revealing significant variances in signal intensity that could lead to biased results.
- They found that using quantile normalization effectively addressed data distribution issues and highlighted that NanoString DSP data has a limited dynamic range compared to bulk RNA sequencing, suggesting the need for improved normalization and analysis methods.
Article Synopsis
- This study evaluates the rate of disease activity return in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients after they stop using disease-modifying therapy, focusing on relapse rates and factors influencing relapse.
- A large sample of 14,213 patients showed that relapse rates typically increased within 2 months after stopping treatment, with earlier commencement of new therapy reducing these rates significantly.
- Factors predicting relapse included having a higher relapse rate prior to stopping therapy, being younger, being female, and having a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, with subsequent therapy reducing both relapse risk and disability progression.
Objective: To determine the association between lifestyle risk factors with 1/ the Multiple Sclerosis Severity Score (MSSS) and 2/ ongoing subclinical brain damage in non-active MS patients on high-efficacy treatment.
Methods: Cross-sectional study in persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) investigating lifestyle factors including cognitive reserve (CR), physical activity (PA), smoking status, alcohol use, dietary habits, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP) and cholesterol ratio. Data were collected through validated questionnaires, clinical and laboratory examination.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore how the latitude of residence and UVB radiation exposure affects the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) among patients, using data from the MSBase registry.
- Results indicated that patients living at higher latitudes (above 40°) experienced more severe MS symptoms, while this trend was not observed in those living below this latitude.
- Additionally, lower UVB exposure during childhood (ages 6 and 18) was linked to faster progression of disability in MS, suggesting the importance of environmental factors in disease severity.
Background: Increasingly, people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) are switched to highly effective disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) such as ocrelizumab.
Objective: To determine predictors of relapse and disability progression when switching from another DMT to ocrelizumab.
Methods: Patients with RRMS who switched to ocrelizumab were identified from the MSBase Registry and grouped by prior disease-modifying therapy (pDMT; interferon-β/glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, fingolimod or natalizumab) and washout duration (<1 month, 1-2 months or 2-6 months).