title: Spasticity improvement in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis switching from interferon-β to glatiramer acetate: the Escala Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A recent pilot study suggested spasticity improvement during glatiramer acetate (GA) treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who previously received interferon-β (IFN-β).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate changes in spasticity in MS patients switching from IFN-β to GA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational, multicentre study in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and spasticity switching from IFN-β to GA. The primary endpoint comprised changes on Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Adductor Tone Rating Scale (ATRS), and Global Pain Score (GPS) at months 3 and 6 after starting GA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight evaluable patients were included (mean age,41.7±9.5 years; female,70.6%; mean time from MS diagnosis to starting GA,7.6±5.7 years). Previous treatments were subcutaneous IFN-β1a in 42.6% patients, intramuscular IFN-β1a in 41.2% and IFN-β1b in 32.4%, whose mean durations were 3.5±3.3, 2.7±2.5 and 4.4±3.6 years, respectively. Statistically significant reductions in mean scores on all spasticity measurements were observed from baseline to month 3 (PSFS, 1.7±0.9 vs 1.4±0.6, p<0.01; MAS, 0.7±0.5 vs 0.6±0.5, p<0.01; highest MAS score, 1.9±0.8 vs 1.7±0.8, p<0.01; ATRS, 1.6±0.6 vs 1.4±0.6, p<0.01; GPS, 29.4±22.1 vs 24.7±19.4, p<0.01) and from baseline to month 6 (PSFS, 1.7±0.9 vs 1.3±0.6, p<0.01; MAS, 0.7±0.5 vs 0.5±0.5, p<0.01; highest MAS score, 1.9±0.8 vs 1.5±0.9, p<0.01; ATRS, 1.6±0.6 vs 1.3±0.6, p<0.01; GPS, 29.4±22.1 vs 19.1±14.8, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spasticity improvement in terms of spasm frequency, muscle tone and pain can be noted after three months and prolonged for six months of GA treatment.
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Spain. pmecal@gmail.com
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Meca-Lallana
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Balseiro
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Lacruz
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Guijarro
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Sanchez
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Cano
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Costa-Frossard
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hernández-Clares
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Sanchez-de la Rosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057915:Drug Substitution / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta