title: Glatiramer acetate reduces the proportion of new MS lesions evolving into "black holes".
abstract: The authors evaluated whether glatiramer acetate (GA) modifies the severity of tissue damage in 1,722 new lesions from 239 patients with MS enrolled in a placebo-controlled trial monitored with monthly cerebral MRI. The percentage of new lesions that evolved into "black holes" was lower in GA-treated than in placebo patients on scans at 7 (18.9 and 26.3%; p = 0.04) and 8 (15.6 and 31.4%; p = 0.002) months after lesion appearance. GA has a favorable effect on tissue disruption in MS lesions once they are formed.
authors.affiliation: Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute and University Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. filppi.massimo@hsr.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rovaris
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sormani
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wolinsky
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010455:Peptides; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate