title: Prognostic value of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2 in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon beta-1b.
abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of interferon (IFN) beta-1b on the serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (sTNF-R1) and sTNF-R2 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in correlation with clinical and magnetic resonance image (MRI) activity. Serum samples were obtained every 3 months from 24 patients treated with 8 x 10(6) U of IFN beta-1b every other day (treatment group) and from 21 patients without any immunomodulatory therapy (control group) over a 15-month observation period. The cytokine receptor levels were assessed by ELISA. Cranial MRI was performed every 6 months to determine the burden of disease. In the treatment group, the MRI responders had significantly larger mean values for the area under the concentration-time curve of sTNF-R1 (p = 0.04) and sTNF-R2 (p = 0.01) when compared to the MRI nonresponders during the 15-month observation period. With regard to an increase in sTNF-R1 and -2 of more than 20% during the first 3 months of treatment, we observed a sensitivity of 33 and 58%, respectively, a specificity of 90 and 60%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 80 and 64%, respectively, for MRI response during the 15-month observation period. A decrease in sTNF-R1 and -2 of more than 20% during the first 3 months of treatment had a sensitivity of 40 and 20%, respectively, a specificity of 100 and 100%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 100 and 100%, respectively, for further MRI nonresponse (during the 15-month observation period). The present data suggest that assessment of sTNF-Rs may contribute to the identification of subgroups of patients who are likely to respond better than others to treatment with IFN beta-1b. This could help to establish a cost-effective prescription pattern for this expensive treatment, which is of importance for the future management of patients with MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laske
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oschmann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tofighi
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kühne
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bregenzer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chatzimanolis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Traupe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaps
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects*; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a