title: Interferon-beta and disability progression in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of interferon (IFN)-beta treatment on the progression of unremitting disability in IFN-beta treated and untreated relapsing-remitting (RR) patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 419 RRMS (236 IFN-beta-treated and 183 untreated) patients was followed for up to 7 years. Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for the number of relapses in the last year before first visit was used to assess the differences between the two groups for the three end points: secondary progression (SP), and sustained Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score 4 and 6. Time from disease onset was used as survival time variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IFN-beta-treated group showed a highly significant reduction (hazard ratio [HR], 0.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19-0.61, p<0.001) in the risk of SP when compared with untreated patients. There were significant differences in favor of the IFN-beta-treated group for the end point EDSS score of 4 (HR=0.45, 95%CI 0.28-0.73, p=0.001) and EDSS score of 6 (HR=0.34, 95%CI 0.16-0.75, p=0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This observational study further supports the notion that IFN-beta could have potential beneficial effect on disease progression in RRMS.
authors: Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 6, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: jelena60@eunet.rs.
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Drulovic
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Kostic
authors: Sarlota
authors: S
authors: Mesaros
authors: Irena
authors: I
authors: Dujmovic Basuroski
authors: Nebojsa
authors: N
authors: Stojsavljevic
authors: Darija
authors: D
authors: Kisic-Tepavcevic
authors: Tatjana
authors: T
authors: Pekmezovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016899:Interferon-beta
keywords: Disease progression; Interferon-beta; Multiple sclerosis; Observational study; Prognosis