March 25, 2021 News by Vanda Pinto, PhD Early MRI Findings May Predict Disease Worsening in Children with MS Abnormalities detected on MRI scans at the onset and within the first two years of disease may predict disability worsening in children with multiple sclerosis (MS), a nine-year study reports. Specifically, damage in the spinal cord, brain, and optic nerve plays a major role in predicting outcomes in these…
March 19, 2021 Columns by Ed Tobias The MS Immune System: Suppressed, Compromised, or What? Lately, I’ve seen a lot of incorrect information on social media about how multiple sclerosis affects our immune system. Some of it seems to be prompted by concerns that MS makes someone more susceptible to COVID-19, or confusion about whether people with MS can safely receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Here…
March 2, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD #ACTRIMS2021 – COVID-19 Vaccines Safe for MS Patients, Minimally Affected by DMTs 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 all the latest stories from the conference. The currently approved COVID-19 vaccines pose little to no risk to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and…
February 22, 2021 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Switch From Tysabri to Moderate-efficacy DMTs Linked to Worse Disability Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) switching from Tysabri (natalizumab) to moderate-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are at a higher risk of showing signs of MS activity and experiencing disability progression than those switching to high-efficacy DMTs, a real-world study found. Based on these findings, the researchers are arguing that,…
January 27, 2021 News by Teresa Carvalho, MS Age Found to Be Main Driver of MS Disability, Patient Therapy Response Age is a main driver of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) and has a key influence on patients’ therapeutic responses to Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) and Tysabri (natalizumab), a study showed. Given those findings, age should be considered in the risk/benefit assessment that’s used in the decision-making process for…
January 8, 2021 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Study: Past Long-term DMT Use Tapers Risk of Current MS Progression Long-term use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has a beneficial cumulative effect compared to shorter treatments, delaying the development of irreversible disability and conversion to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), a recent study…
November 13, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Bone Marrow Transplant Most Useful for Younger Patients, MS Society Experts Suggest A bone marrow transplant may be particularly useful for those with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) who, despite treatment with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), continue to experience relapses or show signs of new lesions, experts say. According to new recommendations from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,…
November 6, 2020 News by Steve Bryson, PhD Study Flags Possible DMT Risk for MS Patients Over Age 45 The use of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) increased the risk of precancerous growth in those older than 45 years of age, according to an age-related adverse events analysis of several dozen clinical trials.Ā …
October 14, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Aubagio’s Long-term Benefits Not Influenced by Prior Treatments, Review Finds Prior treatment with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) does not affect the long-term benefits of Aubagio (teriflunomide) in treating relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review study. The study, “Prior treatment status: impact on the efficacy and safety of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis,”…
October 13, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace How to Make Subcutaneous Injections Less Painful When I was first diagnosed with MS, I didn’t have a choice about what disease-modifying therapy (DMT) I could take. My neurologist held up his hand and pointed one by one to each finger, with each…
October 1, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Disability Level and DMT Use Don’t Raise COVID-19 Risk, UK Study Finds When safety measures like isolation are in place, neither disease-modifying therapy (DMT) use nor greater physical disability appear to heighten the risk of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) contracting COVID-19, a large U.K. registry-based study found. Preliminary study data also suggested that these factors do not affect…
September 30, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Rituximab, Ocrevus Linked to Higher Risk of Worse COVID-19 Outcomes The use of certain disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) such asĀ rituximabĀ andĀ Ocrevus (ocrelizumab), which lower the number of a patient’s immune B-cells,Ā may increase the odds of developing a more severeĀ COVID-19 disease course for people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS), a study suggests. The study, which includes data from the…
September 24, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Older Age at DMT Discontinuation Linked to Sustained NEDA in CIS Patients Older age at disease-modifying therapy (DMT) discontinuation is the main predictive factor of sustained “no evidence of disease activity” (NEDA) in people starting DMT immediately after being diagnosed with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), according to a study in Austria. In particular, patients discontinuing DMT at age 45 or…
September 22, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Gilenya Remains Favorite S1P Receptor Modulator in US, But Zeposia May Catch Up, Survey Finds Among oral sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators for multiple sclerosis (MS), Novartisās GilenyaĀ (fingolimod) remains physiciansā favorite in the U.S., but prescriptions of recently-launched Bristol Myers Squibbās Zeposia (ozanimod) are beginning to rise,Ā according to a survey conducted by Spherix Global Insights. Also, COVID-19Ā not…
September 17, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Tysabri Better Than Other DMTs at Easing Some MS Symptoms Tysabri (natalizumab) is superior to other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) at improving balance and vision, easing bladder problems and sexual dysfunction, and alleviating anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from an Australian study. The study’s findings were presented at…
September 16, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Cognitive Problems in Children With MS Can Persist Into Adulthood Cognitive problems can persist into adulthood in people whose multiple sclerosis (MS) began in childhood or adolescence, and are linked to neurological issues and delays in treatment initiation, a study reports. Early use ofĀ disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and of approaches designed to preserve cognition should be encouraged for pediatric…
September 15, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – High-efficacy DMTs More Effective at Slowing Retina Atrophy in RRMS Patients, Study Finds Compared to low-efficacyĀ disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), high-efficacy medications are more effective at slowing the loss of nerve cells making up different layers of the retina ā the region at the back of the eye that enables one to see ā in patients with relapsing-remitting…
September 15, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Relapses During Pregnancy More Likely on Higher Efficacy DMTs Women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā using moderate- or high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) before conceiving are more likely to have a relapse during pregnancy than are those taking low-efficacy DMTs or no medicines at all, a registry-based study found. This greater relapse risk during pregnancy could be reduced with…
September 14, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD #MSVirtual2020 – Long DMT Exposure May Delay Disability Progression, Wheelchair Use Longer exposure to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may delay disability progression and the time until people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) require the aid of a wheelchair, an Italian registry-based study found. The study also suggests that starting treatment with DMTs ā medications that reduce the activity of…
August 6, 2020 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD MS Patients Show Greater Risk of Infections Before and After Diagnosis, Study Finds Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have a greater risk of infections, particularly urinary and kidney infections, around the time of their diagnosis, compared with individuals without MS, a large Swedish population-based study found. Rates of serious and non-serious infections, as well as infections caused by bacteria, virus, and fungus, also…
July 31, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias Lemtrada and COVID-19: To Treat or Not to Treat? Like others these days, I’m worried about COVID-19. In fact, I’m probably more worried than some. I’m old, I have MS, and I’ve been treated with the disease-modifying therapy Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) ā a trifecta of potential trouble. Lemtrada suppresses part of the immune system. It’s one of the…
July 14, 2020 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Most RIS Patients Likely to Progress to MS Within 10 Years, Study Says More than half of people with brain imaging changes akin to multiple sclerosis (MS) go on to develop the disease within 10 years, a global study of those with radiologically isolated syndrome reported. Progression to MS appears to be more likely in those who are younger, have spinal…
July 6, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Wearable Sensors, COVID-19, Tecfidera PROTXX, University of Alberta Collaborate to Develop Remote Healthcare Platform for MS Patients As more and more neurologists turn to telemedicine for routine patient visits, I expect we’ll see more of the type of technology being developed here. This group is working on something that goes further than what…
June 26, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias Updating the Shifting MS-COVID-19 Treatment Equation It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written about the impact that COVID-19 is having on people with MS. Since then, the picture has changed ā not a lot, but enough for the MS International Federation to modify its recommendations for that illness, people with MS, and…
June 26, 2020 News by David Melamed, PhD Online Resource Center Informs MS Patients About Treatments, Adherence MyHealthTeams and EMD SeronoĀ have teamed up to launch the Treatment and Adherence Resource Center, a new informational tool within the MyMSTeam social network for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). The new resource center is geared toward educating MS patients about the importance of starting…
June 12, 2020 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD Switch From Tysabri to Other DMT Raises Relapse Risk, Study Finds The risk of a relapse isĀ two to three times higher inĀ relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)Ā patients who switch from Tysabri (natalizumab) to an oral or other injectable…
May 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Progressive MS Linked to Faster Retinal Atrophy, Study Shows People with progressive forms of multiple sclerosisĀ (MS) have faster and disease-modifying therapy (DMT)-resistant retinal atrophy (thinning), compared to those with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), a study shows. Data also highlighted that the thickness of deeper layers of the retina could be used as potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration in…
May 12, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD COVID-19 May Not Be Severe in MS Patients, Early Data from Italy Suggest People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may not be at higher risk of developing a severe COVID-19 infection, according to preliminary data from patients in Italy. āAt the moment, these results seem to be quite reassuring for most people with MS,ā Marco Salvetti, MD, PhD, professor at Sapienza…
May 1, 2020 Columns by Ed Tobias How Has COVID-19 Affected Your MS Life? I canceled my April blood draw. The protocol for Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) requires lab work each month because the treatment can have serious side effects. But I spoke with my neurologist and we decided that I could skip it. Blame it on COVID-19. My legs are stiffer than they were two…
April 14, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Ocrevus Use Still Growing in Europe But Challenges on Horizon, Spherix Reports Prescriptions ofĀ RocheāsĀ OcrevusĀ (ocrelizumab) among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients initiating or switching aĀ disease-modifying therapy (DMT) continue to rise in Europe, according toĀ a surveyĀ conducted byĀ Spherix Global Insights. Ocrevus, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody administered directly into a vein,Ā was approved in the European UnionĀ to treat active forms…