January 19, 2024 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Floodlight smartphone app helps in MS but work is needed to boost use A smartphone application called Floodlight Open may help in tracking areas of function in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but more work is needed to improve patient adherence to using the app in a real-world setting, according to a new study. Researchers tested Floodlight Open’s use among more than…
November 14, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Less restrictive low-fat diet seen to lessen fatigue in MS: Pilot study Adhering to a low-fat diet for three months was found to significantly ease fatigue among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from a pilot clinical trial. The diet, which restricted total fat intake to less than 20% of calories per day, had a good adherence. Unlike other…
August 2, 2023 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Benefits of ketogenic diet in RRMS may be long lasting: Study Following a ketogenic diet ā one that’s low in carbohydrates and rich in fat ā for six months significantly reduced measures of body fat and fatigue, eased disease symptoms, and improved exercise capacity, cognition, and arm and hand dexterity in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a study showed.
February 22, 2023 News by Patricia Valerio, PhD Intermittent fasting for 8 weeks shows benefits in MS in pilot study An eight-week intermittent fasting intervention for people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) led to significant improvements in cognition and manual dexterity for these patients, who also tended to have lower fatigue and pain scores at the program’s end, an exploratory study showed.
January 16, 2023 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Use of Virtual Reality Physiotherapy in MS Found to Boost Adherence Uses of virtual reality-based physiotherapy to improve balance and gait in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are linked to lower dropout rates than those found with conventional rehabilitation methods, a review of clinical trials suggested. Although the difference between the two physiotherapy approaches was not statistically significant, adherence to…
May 18, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Marriage, Education, DMT Affect Patients’ Treatment Adherence Among people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), those who are married and have more formal education are more likely to take treatments as recommended, according to a new study from Iran. The study, “Effects of Disease-Modifying Treatments discontinuation in patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A 5…
March 31, 2022 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Most Patients Adhere to Betaseron Therapy Over 1 Year, App Data Show Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with Betaseron (interferon beta-1b) had over 90% treatment compliance ā the percentage of doses administered ā over one year, according to a study of data collected by the BETACONNECT autoinjector and the myBETAapp. After one year, the number of patients still using Betaseron…
April 27, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #AANAM – Early Ocrevus Treatment Helps to Protect Nervous System Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News TodayĀ team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17ā22. GoĀ hereĀ to read the latest stories from the conference. TreatingĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) in its earlier stages with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) can substantially lower disease activity and lessen damage…
March 5, 2021 News by Marisa Wexler, MS #ACTRIMS2021 ā Taking Medication During Pregnancy Reduces Healthcare Costs Editorās note: TheĀ Multiple Sclerosis News Today news team is providing in-depth and unparalleled coverage of the virtual ACTRIMS Forum 2021, Feb. 25ā27. GoĀ hereĀ to see the latest stories from the conference. Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who continue taking disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) throughout pregnancy accrue lower non-maternity healthcare…
August 10, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD 1 in 5 MS Patients Don’t Adhere to Daily Oral DMTs, Real-world Study Finds About 20%, or 1 in 5,Ā multiple sclerosis (MS) patients fail to adhere to oral disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) taken each day, and about 1 in 4 stop using a prescribed daily oral treatment within one year, a study based on reported real-world use found. The study āReal-world adherence to,…
October 25, 2019 News by Ana Pena PhD Twice Daily Dosing and Side Effects Top Reasons Patients Seen to Stop Tecfidera in Small Study A twice-daily dosing schedule and side effects like nausea and flushing are key reasons why more than 10% ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients followed for a year stopped usingĀ Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) as prescribed, a single-site study reports. Adherence to treatment is key to patients’ health, and doctors should not…
September 5, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Floodlight App Gets Positive Ratings, Shows Good Continuous Use in Pilot Study Using smartphones and smartwatches to monitor disease course via the FLOODLIGHT app leads to high adherence and satisfaction among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), results from a pilot study show. The research, āAdherence and Satisfaction of Smartphone- and Smartwatch-Based Remote Active Testing and Passive Monitoring in People With Multiple Sclerosis: Nonrandomized Interventional Feasibility Study,ā was published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Assessing MS progression commonly requires periodic in-clinic visits, and doctors may miss subtle changes occurring between such visits. Smartphones may be a solution for real-time data collection and better patient monitoring outside the clinic. The Roche-sponsored FLOODLIGHT study assessed the feasibility of using smartphones and smartwatches to assess MS symptoms, including hand function, gait and posture, mood, and cognitive impairment. FLOODLIGHT primarily evaluated adherence and feedback to the smartphone- and smartwatch-based assessments, as well as the participantsā satisfaction, as determined by their impact on daily activities. The study included 76 MS patients (ages 20 to 57; 53 were women) and 25 healthy controls, who were recruited at the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of CataloniaĀ in Barcelona, and the University of California, San Francisco. Most patients (91%) had relapsing-remitting MS. The mean time since symptom onset was 11.3 years, and the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score was 2.4. The test battery included active tests performed daily, weekly, every two weeks, or on demand for 24 weeks, and passive monitoring, which analyzed sensor-based gait and mobility. Participants were instructed to complete the active tests at roughly the same time every day, and to carry the smartphone and smartwatch with them all the time. Adherence was assessed via the proportion of weeks with at least three days of completed testing, and four daily hours of passive monitoring. Satisfaction was determined through a questionnaire. Clinical evaluations were conducted at the study's start, after 12 weeks, and at the study's end. Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were taken at the enrollment visit and at week 24 (study's end). Most participants finished the study ā 92% of MS patients and 64% of the controls. Reasons for discontinuation included the burden of continuous monitoring and lack of availability for the three required in-clinic visits. Over an 18-month period, from November 2016 to April 2018, most participants performed five to seven active tests per week, including the Two-Minute Walk Test (2MWT). Adherence to both active tests and passive monitoring for the 24 weeks was good, and remained stable over time after week six. In the final week, participants had a minimum of four hours of passive monitoring data over an average of four days. Adherence was higher for passive monitoring than the tests. Data showed that 70% of participants completed all active tests, 75% did all active tests except the 2MWT, and 79% had data collected via smartphone- or smartwatch-based passive monitoring. The longer a person's disease duration, the lower was their adherence. In contrast, disease severity was not seen to impact adherence. Overall scores reflecting satisfaction was 73.7 out of 100Ā at week 24, having remained stable since week 12. Sixty-one patients reported that the test battery had an at least an acceptable impact on daily activities. Thirty-two had no issue with the active tests, while one-third would rather avoid the 2MWT. A majority, 60%, of the MS patients said they would like to continue using the FLOODLIGHT app to better understand their disease and improve its management. āPersons with multiple sclerosis were engaged and satisfied with the FLOODLIGHT test battery,ā the scientists wrote. As such, āFLOODLIGHT sensor-based measures may enable continuous assessment of multiple sclerosis disease in clinical trials and real-world settings.ā FLOODLIGHT tests are being assessed in long-term studies with larger patient groups in the CONSONANCE Phase 3b trial of Ocrevus (ocrelizumab, by Roche-owned Genentech) in people with progressive MS still enrolling, contact information is here), and in a global studyĀ open to all MS patients with a mobile device, called FLOODLIGHT Open.
July 30, 2018 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD African-Americans Show Better Adherence and Satisfaction with Gilenya Than Injectable DMTs, Phase 4 Study Finds African-Americans with relapsingāremitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) show higher adherence and greater satisfaction when treated with oralĀ Gilenya (fingolimod, by Novartis) than with injectable therapies, according to a new study. The research, āTreatment retention on fingolimod compared with injectable multiple sclerosis therapies in African-American patients: A…
July 10, 2018 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc RRMS Patients Show High Levels of Satisfaction and Adherence to Gilenya Over 2 Years in Danish Study People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Denmark show high rates of adherence to treatment with Gilenya (fingolimod), and give the therapy high marks in terms of satisfaction and quality of life, a long-term study of its use by RRMS patients reports. The study, āHigh treatment adherence, satisfaction, motivation,…
September 27, 2017 News by admin RebiSmart Usage Among Young, Less Disabled MS Patients May Improve with More Knowledge, Study Suggests Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients accurately report the use of the RebiSmart autoinjector to their neurologists, a questionnaire-based study has found. The Phase 4 noninterventional CORE study also suggests that being knowledgeable about RebiSmart is a key factor in improving usage in younger patients and those with lower disability levels.
April 17, 2017 News by Kara Elam MS Patients Using RebiSmart Injection Device Stick to Treatment Schedules, Study Shows Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who used theĀ RebiSmart (Merck Serono) device to inject themselves with interferon beta-1a (INF Ī²-1a) did an excellent job of sticking to their treatment timetable without skipping treatments, according to a study. They also had a lower annual disease relapse rate and more relapse-free periods,…
September 19, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD #ECTRIMS2016 – Poor Medication Adherence in Pediatric MS Patients Linked to Fatigue, Lack of Routine Children with multiple sclerosis (MS) inĀ North America identified a number ofĀ challenges inĀ adhering to disease-modifying therapies ā a potential first step to devising Ā therapeutic approaches that mightĀ improve adherence to MS medications among young patients and, subsequently, disease outcomes in these children. The results were presented in the talk, āMedication adherence in…
August 24, 2016 News by admin RebiSmart Device Seen to Improve Adherence to Therapy in RRMS Patients People with relapsing multiple sclerosis who use a device called RebiSmartĀ (Merck Serono) to self-inject medications like RebifĀ (interferon [IFN] beta-1a)Ā areĀ more likely to take their therapies on a regular schedule and adhere to that schedule, resulting in fewerĀ relapsesĀ than those not using the device, according to a retrospective study byĀ researchers…
July 13, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Side Effects and Convenience of MS Therapies Seen to Determine Patients’ Adherence to Them Despite the existence of several disease-modifying drugs for peopleĀ with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), patients’ satisfaction plays a critical role in their adherence to treatment. ImprovingĀ adherence should be a major concernĀ in the clinicĀ to prevent patients from evolving to more debilitating stages of the disease. AĀ team of researchers in Germany reportĀ that side…