The effect of cladribine on T(1) 'black hole' changes in progressive MS.
We compared the changes of the volumes of T(1)-hypointense lesions seen on the magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain from 159 progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the efficacy of two doses of cladribine. Although in patients treated with cladribine there was a tendency to have a lower increase of T(1)-hypointense lesion volumes than those treated with placebo, no statistically significant effect of cladribine on T(1)-hypointense lesion accumulation was found over the one-year double-blind phase. Furthermore, no significant treatment effect was also detected in a subset of 22 patients who received placebo during the double-blind phase of the study and cladribine during the subsequent one-year open-label phase. We conclude that cladribine does not have a major impact on the mechanisms leading to severe tissue destruction in progressive MS.
Filippi
M
M
Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Rovaris
M
M
Rice
G P
GP
Sormani
M P
MP
Iannucci
G
G
Giacomotti
L
L
Comi
G
G
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D017338:Cladribine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors
D017338:Cladribine