Ocrelizumab associates with reduced cerebrospinal fluid B and CD20 CD4 T cells in primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

The anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab reduces disability progression in primary progressive multiple sclerosis. CD20 is a prototypical B-cell marker; however, subpopulations of CD4 and CD8 T cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid also express low levels of CD20 (CD20). Therefore, direct targeting and depletion of these CD20 T-cell subpopulations may contribute to the therapeutic effect of ocrelizumab.

Reasons Patients With Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Contact Their Specialist Nurses.

Background: Questions asked by patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) during patient-initiated MS nurse consultations may contain salient information that can help health care providers understand their needs, which, in turn, can help tailor counseling and treatment.

Methods: Records of all patients with PPMS visiting the MS center of a large teaching hospital in the Netherlands between January 2007 and January 2021 were studied retrospectively. Number and type (scheduled or patient initiated) of MS nurse consultations, reasons for consultations (in prespecified categories), and frequency of subsequent referrals were registered.

Disease activity in primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Disease activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) is defined as presence of relapses, gadolinium enhancing lesions and/or new or enlarging lesions on MRI. It is associated with efficacy of immunomodulating therapies (IMTs) in primary progressive MS (PPMS). However, a thorough review on disease activity in PPMS is lacking.

Real-world challenges in the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Despite the 2017 revisions to the McDonald criteria, diagnosing primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) remains challenging. To improve clinical practice, the aim was to identify frequent diagnostic challenges in a real-world setting and associate these with the performance of the 2010 and 2017 PPMS diagnostic McDonald criteria.

Methods: Clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics at the time of diagnosis were retrospectively recorded from designated PPMS patient files.