[Effective treatment of multiple sclerosis with rebif-22 mcg in children and adolescences: results of a long-term study].

Management from an early age and availability of new treatment options have changed the outcome of paediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently available for treatment of MS in adults, such drugs as interferons beta and copolymer-1 are not widely used in paediatric neurological practice. The present long-term study of the effect of interferon beta la (rebif-22 mcg) included 20 children with MS from Moscow population. The data of this open-label study were compared with our previously reported data from the prospective population-based study of 67 ethnically-matched children with MS. The results revealed early formation of stable neurological deficit at late-onset treatment, high therapeutic efficacy when the drug was timely used and good tolerability of the treatment. So, it is necessary to use immunomodulating therapy with these drugs in children and adolescents as early as possible.