title: Disease activity and disability evolution under glatiramer acetate: a clinical approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  By analyzing literature data regarding glatiramer acetate in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis one might find controversial data but the majority of authors state that the clinical evolution under the treatment showed a positive course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our goal was to analyze groups of patients, both non-treated and treated with the drug, for relapse rate, Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) score - upper limb disability, lower limb disability and cognition, and for cognitive dysfunction, using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, in order to objectively quantify the clinical impact of the drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results are in accordance with the literature for most of the investigated measures - relapse rate, EDSS, MSFC -, and furthermore suggest the possibility to use more extensively the MoCA test for evaluation of MS patients from the point of view of cognitive functions, after a much wider comparative assessment.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania. zoltan.major@umfcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Vitalie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vacaras
authors.forename: Zoltán Zsigmond
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seewooram
authors.forename: Kinga Andrea
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Major
authors.forename: Dafin Fior
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Muresanu
authors.forename: Anca Dana
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Buzoianu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010455:Peptides; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate