News PCORI Awards $2 Million to Study Treatments for Fatigue in MS Patients PCORI Awards $2 Million to Study Treatments for Fatigue in MS Patients by Patricia Silva, PhD | August 9, 2016 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) recentlyĀ awarded a sum of $5.5 million to two researchers at the University of California, San FranciscoĀ (UCSF). Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD. (Credit: UCSF) Bardia Nourbakhsh, MD, a clinical fellow in Neurology, receivedĀ aĀ $2 million grant to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effects of several drugs in reducing fatigue āĀ and improving the quality of life ā in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, occurring in about 80% of allĀ patients. It can significantly interfere with a person’s ability to function at home and work. Fatigue also can be the most prominent symptom in a person who otherwise has minimal limitations. Methylphenidate, amantadine and modafinil are often used to treat fatigue in MS patients, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any of these drugs for this indication. āWe propose to perform a clinical trial to find out if any of the commonly used drugs is truly effective in reducing fatigue in diverse group of patients with MS, mirroring the real-world setting,ā Nourbakhsh said in a UCSF news release. As per trial protocol, each patient will be given the drugs at different times.Ā Investigators will evaluate fatigue through phone or online questionnaires to minimize the burden on the participants. The researchers will also examine how patients tolerate different dosages, andĀ evaluate the drugs’ ability to reduce fatigue and improveĀ lifeĀ quality, while determining which type of patient Margaret Fang, MD, MPH. (Credit: UCSF) may benefit more from a specific treatment. āSuccessful execution of our project will increase the attention of clinicians, patients, and policy maker to this common, disabling, undertreated, and under-researched MS symptom,āĀ Nourbakhsh said. Margaret Fang, MD, MPH, an associate professor of Medicine, was awardedĀ $3.5 million for work that will compare the effectiveness of blood thinners for the long-term treatment of venousĀ thromboembolism. PCORI is an independent and nonprofitĀ organization,Ā basedĀ in Washington, D.C., authorized by Congress in 2010. ItsĀ mission is to improve the quality and relevance of evidence available so as to help patients, caregivers, clinicians, employers, insurers, and policymakers arrive atĀ informed health decisions. Print This Page About the Author Patricia Silva, PhD PatrĆcia holds a PhD in medical microbiology and infectious diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal. Her work in academia was mainly focused on molecular biology and the genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites. PatrĆcia earned several travel awards to present her work at international scientific meetings. She is a published author of several peer-reviewed science articles. Tags awards, fatigue, FDA, PCORI, quality of life, UCSF
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