[Evolution and adverse effects in patients with remittent-recurrent multiple sclerosis treated with interferon beta 1b. The influence of patient's weight and height].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to determine whether the adverse effects (AE) of interferon beta 1b (IFNb-1b) are related to patient weight, height and body surface area. Moreover, whether the basal incapacity and/or some of these AE may be related to the evolutive prognosis were also studied.


METHODS
Twenty-nine females and 14 males with remittent-recurrent multiple sclerosis treated with IFNb-1b were studied. The clinical data and the AE, were compared with the number of outbreaks and the progression of incapacity over the first year of treatment in patients with high weight, height and body surface area with respect to those under the mean.


RESULTS
Although the presence of fever was similar in the two groups during the first month (8/19 in the high weight patients and 11/24 in the low weight group), in the following months, overall, the low weight patients continued to present fever. Fever during the first month was associated with a lower number of outbreaks at one year of evolution (0.04 +/- 0.1, n = 19 vs 0.30 +/- 0.5, n = 24; p = 0.04). Furthermore, the patients with lesser incapacity presented a better evolution than those with more incapacity, particularly at 2 years (0.21 +/- 1.3 vs 1.36 +/- 0.9; p = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
During the first month of treatment fever is very frequent in all the patients regardless of weight and fever was correlated with a lower number of outbreaks at one year of evolution. From the third month fever was less frequent in the lower weight patients group.
García-Moreno
J M
JM
Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, Sevilla.
Navarro
G
G
Duque
P
P
Gamero
M A
MA
Gata
J M
JM
Gálvez
J L
JL
Izquierdo
G
G
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D001824:Body Constitution; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a
Evolución y efectos adversos en pacientes con esclerosis múltiple remitente-recidivante tratados con interferón beta 1b. Influencia del peso y la talla de los enfermos.