Discordant effect of IFN-beta1a therapy on anti-IFN antibodies and thyroid disease development in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Interferon-beta1b (IFN-beta1b) therapy is associated with a relatively high risk of developing thyroid disease. IFN-beta1a is regarded as less immunogenic than IFN-beta1b because of its structural homology to natural IFN-beta. We assessed the effect of 1 year of IFN-beta1a treatment on thyroid function and autoimmunity in 14 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The results were compared with those obtained in a series of 31 MS patients treated with IFN-beta1b. The prevalence of positive binding antibody (BAb) titer and neutralizing (NAb) anti-IFN antibody titer in the two groups was also assessed. The BAb and NAb positivity rate in IFN-beta1a-treated patients was significantly lower than in the group submitted to IFN-beta1b therapy (7% vs. 84% and 0% vs. 30%, respectively). Although the incidence of thyroid dysfunction was slightly higher in IFN-beta1b-treated patients than in those undergoing IFN-beta1a treatment (33% vs. 23%, respectively), it did not reach statistical significance. Thyroid disease was unrelated to the presence of positive serum BAb or NAb titer in both the group undergoing IFN-beta1a therapy and in that treated with IFN-beta1b. In both groups, thyroid disease developed mostly in women (71%) against a background of preexisting thyroiditis and a diffuse hypoechoic ultrasound thyroid pattern (80%). IFN-beta1a treatment was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of both BAb and NAb-positive titers than was IFN-beta1b. Conversely, thyroid disease was similar and unrelated to the presence of positive anti-IFN-beta antibody titer. Therefore, routine thyroid assessment may be advised during IFN-beta1a treatment, especially in patients with preexisting thyroiditis.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. fmonzani@med.unipi.it
Fabio
F
Monzani
Giuseppe
G
Meucci
Nadia
N
Caraccio
Michela
M
Saviozzi
Arturo
A
Casolaro
Gianluca
G
Moscato
Francesco
F
Lombardo
Serena
S
Mosti
Carolina
C
Scagnolari
Fabrizio
F
Bruschi
Guido
G
Antonelli
Ele
E
Ferrannini
Luigi
L
Murri
D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; C056626:thyroid microsomal antibodies; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a