title: A clinical study of multiple sclerosis patients treated with betaferon.
abstract: We conducted an open prospective randomized study of 58 multiple sclerosis patients who received Betaferon in a dose of 8 MIU every other day for 2 years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of Betaferon treatment depending on the number of relapses in the previous 2 years and the stage of neurological deficit at baseline.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  clinically definite and MRI-confirmed multiple sclerosis (MS), relapsing-remitting course, at least one relapse 2 years before the study; age 18-50 years; neurological deficit scoring--between 1.0-5.0 steps. According to initial EDSS stage, two groups were formed: group A (32 patients with EDSS score < 2.5 steps) and group B (26 patients with EDSS score > or = 3.0 steps). According to the number of relapses in the last 2 years patients were assigned to group C (29 persons with 1 relapse) and group D (29 persons with > or = 2 relapses).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Betaferon therapy effectively reduced relapse frequency in all groups. The severity of disability was significantly reduced in younger patients and in patients with milder neurological deficit at baseline. Regression analysis showed strong correlation between therapeutic improvement and baseline severity of disability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results suggest that Betaferon can be used to treat patients with low score of neurological deficit, in an early stage of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Manova
authors.forename: Ivanka I
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Kostadinova
authors.forename: Valentin Chr
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Akabaliev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta