Real world experience with cladribine tablets for multiple sclerosis at four academic multiple sclerosis centers.

Background: Cladribine tablets (CladT) are a multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying therapy (DMT) with safety and efficacy established in the CLARITY trial and extension. A better understanding of the role of CladT in real-world populations is needed, including the clinical and radiographic trajectories of persons with MS (PwMS) treated with CladT and how CladT compares to other MS DMTs.

Methods: PwMS receiving CladT at 4 tertiary MS centers were identified and characterized.

Overall Disability Response Score: An integrated endpoint to assess disability improvement and worsening over time in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Overall Disability Response Score (ODRS) is a composite endpoint including Expanded Disability Status Scale, Timed 25-foot Walk, and 9-Hole Peg Test, designed to quantify both disability improvement and worsening in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To assess the sensitivity and clinical meaningfulness of ODRS using natalizumab Phase 3 data sets (AFFIRM in relapsing-remitting MS and ASCEND in secondary progressive MS).

Methods: Differences in ODRS over 96 weeks, ODRS at Week 96, and slope of ODRS change per year between natalizumab and placebo groups were analyzed.

Racial disparities in hypertension management among multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: Hypertension adversely impacts the multiple sclerosis (MS) disease course and is more common among Black Americans. Disparities in care due to structural racism may lead to suboptimal hypertension detection and control in Black American MS patients.

Objectives: To determine if uncontrolled hypertension is more common in Black or White Americans with MS and whether race impacts the likelihood of receiving anti-hypertensive treatment.

Early factors associated with later conversion to multiple sclerosis in patients presenting with isolated myelitis.

Objective: To identify early clinical and paraclinical factors that may help predict later conversion to multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients presenting with isolated myelitis (ie, 'transverse myelitis' without clinical or radiological evidence of inflammation/demyelination elsewhere in the central nervous system).

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients with isolated myelitis who were followed clinically and radiologically at our specialised myelopathy clinic. We excluded patients with MS at the onset, aquaporin-4-IgG seropositivity, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG seropositivity or other identified aetiology.

Safety and efficacy of opicinumab in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (SYNERGY): a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Background: Opicinumab is a human monoclonal antibody against LINGO-1, an inhibitor of oligodendrocyte differentiation and axonal regeneration. Previous findings suggested that opicinumab treatment might enhance remyelination in patients with CNS demyelinating diseases. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of opicinumab in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

High-dose chemotherapy and multiple sclerosis.

Purpose Of Review: Immunomodulatory medications for multiple sclerosis provide only modest control of this potentially debilitating auto-immune disease of the central nervous system. The immunosuppression provided by high-dose chemotherapy has been studied to address treatment-refractory disease. In this review, we discuss the recent significant work in this field and its associated controversies.

Promising treatments of tomorrow for multiple sclerosis.

The therapeutic options for multiple sclerosis are rapidly expanding. What was once seen as a disease with little hope for treatment is now a target of rapid drug development. Current therapies have demonstrated efficacy in limiting the impact of the disease, but none is fully effective in all patients.

The incidence and significance of anti-natalizumab antibodies: results from AFFIRM and SENTINEL.

Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical effects of antibodies that develop during treatment with natalizumab.

Methods: In two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (natalizumab safety and efficacy in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis [MS, AFFIRM] and safety and efficacy of natalizumab in combination with interferon beta-1a [INF beta]1a] in patients with relapsing remitting MS [SENTINEL]) of patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis, blood samples were obtained at baseline and every 12 weeks to determine the presence of antibodies against natalizumab. Antibodies to natalizumab were measured using an ELISA.