title: Immunomodulation by chronobiologically-based glucocorticoids treatment for multiple sclerosis relapses.
abstract: This study compares the effects of daytime versus nighttime intravenous glucocorticoid treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses for several immune indicators. The levels of serum CRP, TNFalpha, ESR, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 were determined at trial entry and at day 7 post therapy initiation in 35 MS patients. Serum MMP-9 protein levels were differentially affected by treatment regimen, and were significantly lower after nighttime treatment. Both treatment protocols led to a similar reduction of ESR, CRP and TNFalpha. These findings provide preliminary characterization of biomarkers in the application of chronobiology-based glucocorticoid therapeutics in MS and other immune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Glass-Marmor
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paperna
authors.forename: Yanna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Galboiz
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller