title: Mitoxantrone as rescue therapy in worsening relapsing-remitting MS patients receiving IFN-beta.
abstract: We assessed the action of mitoxantrone (MX) when given as rescue therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS), whose disease activity worsens despite IFN-beta treatment. Ten very active RR MS patients received MX 12 mg/m2 monthly, for 3 months, and then returned to the original treatment with IFN-beta. Following treatment with MX, 70% of patients were able to return to IFN-beta treatment, stabilising EDSS and relapse rate during a follow-up period of 15-18 additional months. In contrast, in 30% of the patients who were taken off MX and returned to IFN-beta treatment the EDSS score deteriorated and the number of exacerbations increased significantly. The latter patients were switched again to MX treatment at 3-month intervals, stabilising EDSS and relapse rate during 15-18 additional months. Clinical findings correlated with the number of Gd-enhancing lesions disclosed in MRI scans. Immunological data were consistent with the clinical and MRI benefits observed. We conclude that brief courses of MX may provide a safe treatment alternative for RR MS patients who experience rapid and severe worsening of their disease despite IFN-beta treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology Raúl Carrea Institute for Neurological Research, FLENI, Montañeses 2325, (1428) Buenos Aires, Argentina. jcorreale@fleni.org.ar
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Correale
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amengual
authors.forename: María Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Goicochea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; C571326:MOG protein, human; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D016899:Interferon-beta; D008942:Mitoxantrone