Course of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis before,during and after natalizumab

Abstract

The consequences of interruption of natalizumab treatment are incompletely known. The objective was to assess the confirmed annualized relapse rates for patients preceding initiation, during and following suspension of natalizumab therapy. A chart review was conducted and data were analyzed using the Generalized Estimating Equations. During natalizumab therapy the confirmed annualized relapse rate was 0.08, compared to 0.52 (p = 0.0003) during the prior 12 months and to 0.35 (p = 0.0032) during the following 3 to 24 months. Similar results were found when confirmed and unconfirmed were analyzed. To conclude, following cessation of natalizumab therapy disease activity rapidly returned to pre-natalizumab levels.

Keywords

multiple sclerosis natalizumab drug interruption progressive multifocal leucoencephalopathy

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O’Connor PW, Goodman A, Kappos L, Lublin FD, Miller DH, Polman CH, et al. Return of disease activity after cessation of natalizumab therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. In: Multiple Sclerosis. Conference: 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Conference Start: 2009/09/09 Conference End: 2009/09/12. Dusseldorf, Germany Conference Publication: (var. pagings). 15: (Suppl. 5) (pp S240–S241), 2009. Date of Publication: September 2009. (abstract).