Antinuclear antibodies and response to IFNβ-1a therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Abstract

We determined whether positive ANA was related to response to rIFNû-1a in 62 relapsing-remitting MS patients. According to the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) at baseline and during the first 6 months of treatment, patients were sorted in different groups. The clinical and MRI outcome during short-term (6 months) and long-term (24 months) treatment period was not statistically different between the groups. Therefore, the response to IFNb-1a seems not to be influenced by ANA occurrence either before or during treatment. When the analysis was extended to other autoantibodies (i.e. antithyroid, anticardiolipin) similar results were obtained.

Keywords

multiple sclerosis antinuclear antibodies autoantibodies interferon beta-1a therapeutical response disease activity

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