title: Double-blind controlled trial of immunosuppression in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: final report.
abstract: In a double-blind controlled trial 43 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were treated either with anti-lymphocyte globulin, prednisolone, and azathioprine, or with placebo preparations. Treatment began with a combination of the three medicaments but after 1 month was continued for another 14 months with azathioprine (3 mg/kg dialy) only. There was a marginally beneficial effect of immunosuppression on the overall relapse rate and clinical progression. However, there were significant effects on in-vitro lymphocyte function and in the visual evoked potentials in favour of the group receiving suppressive treatment. Placebo-treated patients of the HLA A3 tissue type had significantly more relapses than placebo-treated patients who were not of type HLA A3. Nevertheless, HLA-A3-positive patients treated with immunosuppression had significantly fewer relapses than A3-positive placebo-treated patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D006680:HLA Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine