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Relevant research insights for nurses on progression of MS

12/12/2024

Elena Kelly

Disease modifying treatments have slowed disability progression rates of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS)

The aim of this Italian study was to determine the role of relapse-associated worsening (RAW) and progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) in MS course deceleration.
The long-term disability progression of 1,405 RRMS patients diagnosed from 1980 to 2022, with age at diagnosis ranging from 18 to 60 was retrospectively assessed.
To isolate PIRA, all RAW events were deducted from the overall EDSS change and differences compared across different time periods.
Results indicated that disability has progressed significantly slower in RRMS patients over the years primarily due to reductions in RAW events, but PIRA rates also decreased significantly.
The authors concluded that the deceleration of MS course observed throughout the years was determined not only by fewer RAW events, but also by a reduction in PIRA

Montobbio, N., Cordioli, C., Signori, A., Bovis, F., Capra, R. and Sormani, M.P. (2024), Relapse-Associated and Relapse-Independent Contribution to Overall Expanded Disability Status Scale Progression in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Diagnosed in Different Eras. Ann Neurol. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.27093

Results from a Phase 3 study report that high dose vitamin D can help delay progression from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) to MS

Findings from a Phase 3 study, D-Lay-MS, has found that taking high-dose vitamin D (100,000 IU every 2 weeks for 24 months) as a supplement can almost double the time it takes for people with CIS to experience new disease activity when compared with inactive placebo.
The authors conclude that the findings support high-dose vitamin D supplementation in early MS

Thouvenot E, et al. High-dose cholecalciferol reduces multiple sclerosis disease activity after a clinically isolated syndrome: results of a 24-month placebo-controlled randomized trial (D-lay MS). ECTRIMS 2024; Abstract 1291/O065

MS-STAT2 trial shows that simvastatin fails to slow disability progression in secondary progressive MS (SPMS)

A Phase 3 study from the UK, MS-STAT2, has found that daily treatment with high-dose simvastatin, a widely used cholesterol-lowering medication, failed to slow disability progression in adults with SPMS.
MS-STAT2 was the biggest ever trial for SPMS involving almost 1,000 participants and followed promising Phase 2 study results of simvastatin in MS.
The main aim of the study was to determine the proportion of patients with six-month confirmed disability progression during the trial, defined as an increase in EDSS scores that is sustained for at least six months.
Results showed that approximately 40% of patients in both the treatment and placebo groups experienced confirmed progression over four years, therefore failing to meet the trial’s primary goal

Chataway J, et al. Evaluating the effectiveness of simvastatin in slowing the progression of disability in secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS-STAT2 trial): a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 clinical trial. ECTRIMS 2024; Abstract 4018/O134

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