Safety and clinical effectiveness of peginterferon beta-1a for relapsing multiple sclerosis in a real-world setting: Final results from the Plegridy Observational Program.

Background: Interferon beta-1a remains an important treatment option for multiple sclerosis, particularly when safety or tolerability concerns may outweigh the benefits of higher-efficacy disease-modifying therapies. The five-year phase 4 Plegridy Observational Program (POP) study (NCT02230969) collected data on real-world safety and effectiveness of Plegridy® (peginterferon beta-1a) treatment in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To explore the real-world safety and effectiveness of peginterferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, including factors influencing treatment discontinuation.

Treatment of older patients with multiple sclerosis: Results of an International Delphi Survey.

Background: People over age 50-55 have historically been excluded from randomized clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, more than half of those living with an MS diagnosis are over 55.

Objective: Explore the unique considerations of treating older people with MS (PwMS) using an iterative and structured Delphi-based assessment to gather expert opinions.

Serum neurofilament light-chain levels and long-term treatment outcomes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients: A post hoc analysis of the randomized CombiRx trial.

Background: CombiRx was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial in treatment-naive relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients randomized to intramuscular interferon beta-1a (IM IFN beta-1a), glatiramer acetate (GA), or both therapies.

Objective: This analysis investigated changes in serum neurofilament light-chain (sNfL) levels in response to treatment and assessed baseline sNfL as a predictor of relapse.

Methods: RRMS patients treated with IM IFN beta-1a 30 µg weekly + placebo (n = 159), GA 20 mg/mL daily + placebo (n = 172), or IM IFN beta-1a + GA (n = 344) were included.

Efficacy of prolonged-release fampridine placebo on walking ability, dynamic and static balance, physical impact of multiple sclerosis, and quality of life: an integrated analysis of MOBILE and ENHANCE.

Background: MOBILE and ENHANCE were similarly designed randomized trials of walking-impaired adults with relapsing-remitting or progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) who received placebo or 10 mg prolonged-release (PR)-fampridine twice daily for 24 weeks. Both studies showed sustained and clinically meaningful improvement in broad measures of walking and balance over 24 weeks of PR-fampridine treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the functional benefits and safety of PR-fampridine placebo using a integrated efficacy analysis of MOBILE and ENHANCE data.

Safety and clinical effectiveness of peginterferon beta-1a for relapsing multiple sclerosis in the real-world setting: Interim results from the Plegridy Observational Program.

Background: The Plegridy Observational Program (POP) is an ongoing, 5-year, phase 4 real-world study of the safety and effectiveness of subcutaneous peginterferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS).

Methods: This interim analysis from POP assessed the safety and effectiveness of peginterferon beta-1a, including subgroup analyses of patients aged < 50 and ≥ 50 years, newly diagnosed and non-newly diagnosed patients, and new and experienced peginterferon beta-1a users.

Results: A total of 1208 patients enrolled in POP.

Safety, Patient-Reported Well-Being, and Physician-Reported Assessment of Walking Ability in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis for Prolonged-Release Fampridine Treatment in Routine Clinical Practice: Results of the LIBERATE Study.

Background: Prolonged-release fampridine (PR-FAM) 10-mg tablet twice daily is the only approved pharmacological treatment for improvement of walking ability in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). LIBERATE assessed the safety/effectiveness of PR-FAM in the real-world.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to collect additional safety data, including the incidence rate of seizures and other adverse events (AEs) of interest, from patients with MS taking PR-FAM in routine clinical practice (including patients aged ≥ 65 years and those with pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors).

A new tool to assess Clinical Diversity In Meta-analyses (CDIM) of interventions.

Objective: To develop and validate Clinical Diversity In Meta-analyses (CDIM), a new tool for assessing clinical diversity between trials in meta-analyses of interventions.

Study Design And Setting: The development of CDIM was based on consensus work informed by empirical literature and expertise. We drafted the CDIM tool, refined it, and validated CDIM for interrater scale reliability and agreement in three groups.

Apparently conclusive meta-analyses on interventions in critical care may be inconclusive-a meta-epidemiological study.

Objectives: Risks of random type I and II errors are associated with false positive and false negative findings. In conventional meta-analyses, the risks of random errors are insufficiently evaluated. Many meta-analyses, which appear conclusive, might, in fact, be inconclusive because of risks of random errors.