title: Long-term follow up of glatiramer acetate compassionate use in Belgium.
abstract: Between June 1995 and November 1998, 228 patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis started treatment with glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) 20 mg once daily in the frame of a "compassionate use" protocol in 15 Belgian centers. Following an average treatment period of 5.8 years, treating neurologists were requested to fill in follow-up forms indicating neurological disability status and side effects during the previous 6 months. These data were available for 134 patients. In this group, the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) improved in 26.3% of patients. An additional 36.8% of patients remained neurologically stable. The Ambulation Index (AI) showed similar results: 12.5% of patients improved, 50% of patients remained stable, and 37.5% worsened. Only 10% of patients dropped out due to several reasons. The adverse events occurring in the period preceding the follow-up survey were non-serious and consistent with the current product information of glatiramer acetate. Among the 94 patients no longer followed-up in the compassionate program, reasons for lost to follow-up were obtained for 63; most of them (41) had stopped GA treatment or switched to another disease-modifying treatment. Overall these results are very similar to the ones reported in the extension study of the pivotal trial (Johnson et al., 2000), and indicate that patients treated with glatiramer acetate have a better outcome than expected on the basis of the natural course of the disease. Despite limitations of the study design, this report confirms the sustained efficacy of glatiramer acetate in reducing the disease progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated in day-to-day clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Cliniques Universitaires St Luc Bruxelles. sindic@nchm.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: C J M
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sindic
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seeldrayers
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vande Gaer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Smet
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nagels
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: De Deyn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medaer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guillaume
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: D'Hooghe
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Deville
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Decoo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadzot
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van Landegem
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strauven
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Merckx
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caekebeke
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van der Tool
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008189:Luxembourg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009426:Netherlands; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010455:Peptides; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate