title: Longitudinal MRI study: the effects of azathioprine in MS patients refractory to interferon beta-1b.
abstract: An open-label study was performed to assess the effectiveness of oral azathioprine (AZA) on augmenting the response to interferon beta-1b (IFNbeta-1b) in patients with treatment-refractory relapsing-remitting MS. Six IFNbeta-1b-treated MS patients with continued disease activity were studied on IFNbeta-1b and AZA therapy for a median period of 15 months. A 69% reduction in the number of contrast-enhancing lesions was observed during the combination therapy (p = 0.002).
authors.affiliation: Neuroimmunology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-1400, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markovic-Plese
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bielekova
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kadom
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Leist
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: McFarland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D001379:Azathioprine