Association of body mass index and clinical response in patients receiving ofatumumab for treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Background: The impact of body weight on disability progression rates among patients receiving ofatumumab was not evaluated yet.

Methods: Among patients from a multicentre prospective cohort, baseline demographics were compared among body mass index (BMI) quartiles as well as proportions of clinical relapses, MRI lesions and disability worsening during follow-up.

Results: 536 patients from four centres were included.

Disease-modifying strategies: Targeting protein kinases in multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders.

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.

Apheresis therapies in MOGAD: a retrospective study of 117 therapeutic interventions in 571 attacks.

Background: Incomplete attack remission is the main cause of disability in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Apheresis therapies such as plasma exchange and immunoadsorption are widely used in neuroimmunology. Data on apheresis outcomes in MOGAD attacks remain limited.

Accuracy of MSBase criteria to diagnose secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in large German real-world patient cohort.

Background And Objectives: Accurate diagnosis of secondary progression in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains a challenge since standardized criteria are missing. In 2016, the MSBase registry presented an algorithm that enabled the diagnosis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) more than three years earlier compared to diagnosis by neurologists. This work aimed to test whether this approach is equally effective in a real-world cohort of MS patients.

Real-world therapy management of patients with multiple sclerosis receiving cladribine tablets beyond year 4 - Results from a German cladribine cohort.

Background: The current approval of oral cladribine covers four years, with two treatment courses in the first two years, followed by two treatment-free years. For decision-making in year 5, experts recommend three scenarios: Extending the treatment-free period, retreatment with cladribine, or therapy switch.

Objective: To assess the implementation of the three year-5-scenarios in clinical practice in a large multicentric real-world cohort in Germany.

Association of Clinical Relapses With Disease Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Older Than 50 Years.

Background And Objectives: Relapse and MRI activity usually decline with aging but are replaced by progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, several older PwMS continue to experience clinical relapses, and the impact on their disease remains undetermined. We aimed to determine the impact of an index relapse on disease outcomes in patients older than 50 years and to identify risk factors of disadvantageous outcomes.

Reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton during the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs).

We analyzed actin cytoskeleton alterations during NET extrusion by neutrophil-like dHL-60 cells and human neutrophils in the absence of DNase1 containing serum to avoid chromatin degradation and microfilament disassembly. NET-formation by dHL-60 cells and neutrophils was induced by Ionomycin or phorbol-12-myristat-13-acetate (PMA). Subsequent staining with anti-actin and TRITC-phalloidin showed depolymerization of the cortical F-actin at spatially confined areas, the NET extrusion sites, effected by transient activation of the monooxygenase MICAL-1 supported by the G-actin binding proteins cofilin, profilin, thymosin ß4 and probably the F-actin fragmenting activity of gelsolin and/or its fragments, which also decorated the formed NETs.

Single-cell profiling reveals preferential reduction of memory B cell subsets in cladribine patients that correlates with treatment response.

Background: Cladribine is a highly effective immunotherapy that is applied in two short-term courses over 2 years and reduces relapse rate and disease progression in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite the short treatment period, cladribine has a long-lasting effect on disease activity even after recovery of lymphocyte counts, suggesting a yet undefined long-term immune modulating effect.

Objectives: Our aim was to provide a more profound understanding of the detailed effects of cladribine, also with regard to the patients' therapy response.

Analysis of Free Circulating Messenger Ribonucleic Acids in Serum Samples from Late-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy Patients Using nCounter NanoString Technology.

5q-related Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary multi-systemic disorder leading to progressive muscle atrophy and weakness caused by the degeneration of spinal motor neurons (MNs) in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Three SMN-enhancing drugs for SMA treatment are available. However, even if these drugs are highly effective when administrated early, several patients do not benefit sufficiently or remain non-responders, e.

[Consensus recommendations on regional interdisciplinary standardization of MRI diagnostics for multiple sclerosis in the metropolitan area of Essen].

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is of exceptional importance in the diagnostics and monitoring of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, a close interdisciplinary cooperation between neurologists in private practice, (neuro)radiological practices, hospitals or specialized MS centers is only rarely established. In particular, there is a lack of standardized MRI protocols for image acquisition as well as established quality parameters, which guarantee the comparability of MRI records; however, this is a fundamental prerequisite for an effective application of MRI in the treatment of MS patients, e.g.

Immune Response to Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Receiving Cladribine.

Cladribine has been approved for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its administration results in a long-lasting depletion of lymphocytes. As lymphopenia is known to hamper immune responses to vaccination, we evaluated the immunogenicity of the influenza vaccine in patients undergoing cladribine treatment at different stages vs. controls.

Effect of Previous Disease-Modifying Therapy on Treatment Effectiveness for Patients Treated With Ocrelizumab.

Background And Objectives: B cell-depleting antibodies were proven as effective strategy for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The monoclonal antibody ocrelizumab was approved in 2017 in the United States and in 2018 in the European Union, but despite proven efficacy in randomized, controlled clinical trials, its effectiveness in the real-world setting remains to be fully elucidated. In particular, most study patients were treatment naive or switched from injectable therapies, whereas oral substances or monoclonal antibodies made up >1% of previous treatments.

Treatment of autoimmunity: The impact of disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis and comorbid autoimmune disorders.

More than 10 disease-modifying therapies (DMT) are approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and new therapeutic options are on the horizon. Due to different underlying therapeutic mechanisms, a more individualized selection of DMTs in MS is possible, taking into account the patient's current situation. Therefore, concomitant treatment of various comorbid conditions, including autoimmune mediated disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, should be considered in MS patients.

Humoral COVID-19 vaccine response in patients with NMOSD/MOGAD during anti-IL-6 receptor therapy compared to other immunotherapies.

Background: Data on the humoral vaccine response in patients on anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor therapy remain scarce.

Objective: The main objective of our study was to investigate the humoral response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)/myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) patients treated with anti-IL-6 receptor therapy. Secondarily, we analyzed relapse activity timely associated with vaccination.

Disease-modifying therapies for relapsing/active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis - a review of population-specific evidence from randomized clinical trials.

Although the understanding of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) is evolving, early detection of relapse-independent progression remains difficult. This is further complicated by superimposed relapses and compensatory mechanisms that allow for silent progression. The term relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) subsumes relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and SPMS with relapses.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Patients With NMO Spectrum Disorders and MOG-Antibody-Associated Diseases: COPANMO(G)-Study.

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the life of patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated diseases (MOGAD).

Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study included data of 187 patients recruited from 19 different German and Austrian Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group (NEMOS) centers between July 2021 and March 2022. The effects of the pandemic on immunotherapeutic treatment and access to care, the possible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and the potential effect of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 on disease incidence and relapse risk were assessed using a patient questionnaire.

Real-world evidence on siponimod treatment in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Background: Therapeutic options targeting inflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS) have evolved rapidly for relapsing-remitting MS, whereas few therapies are available for progressive forms of MS, in particular secondary progressive MS (SPMS). The approval of siponimod for SPMS has allowed for optimism in the otherwise discouraging therapeutic landscape.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter, non-interventional study analyzing the efficacy and safety of siponimod under real-world conditions in 227 SPMS patients.

Severe and long-lasting alteration of albumin redox state by plasmapheresis.

Plasmapheresis (PE) is an established form of therapeutic apheresis (TA). Purpose of this longitudinal prospective single center study was to investigate the effect of PE on albumin redox state (ARS), as infusion of commercial albumin during PE may alter albumin oxidation which has an impact on its functional properties and oxidative stress level. 43 subjects with autoimmune-mediated neurological disorders were included.

Anti-EBNA1 IgG titre is not associated with fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients.

Introduction: Fatigue is the most frequent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS), although it is still poorly understood due to its complexity and subjective nature. There is an urgent need to identify reliable biomarkers to improve disease prognosis and therapeutic strategies. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the major environmental risk factor associated with MS aetiology, and trials with EBV-targeted T cell therapies have reduced fatigue severity in MS patients.

Immunological consequences of cladribine treatment in multiple sclerosis: A real-world study.

Background: Cladribine is a synthetic deoxyadenosine analogue approved for the treatment of highly active relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Cladribine is considered to be a semi-selective immune-reconstitution therapy (IRT) that induces long-term remission following short course of treatment. Here, we evaluated the effect of cladribine on immune cell reduction and reconstitution during the first two years of treatment.