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Interferon beta-1a in children with multiple sclerosis is well tolerated
E Waubant1, J Hietpas, T Stewart
1UCSF/Mt Zion Multiple Sclerosis Center, San Francisco, CA, USA. emmanuelle.waubant@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Background:
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic demyelinating disease rare in children. Currently marketed disease modifying therapies are limited to adults.
Objective:
To determine the tolerability of interferon beta-1a (IFNB-1 a) 30 mcg injected intramuscularly once a week in children with clinically definite relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
Design/Methods:
A standardized questionnaire was sent to neurologists in the United States to determine the tolerability of IFNB-1 a in patients younger than 16 years.
Results:
Tolerability data were available for 9 of 33 children who were reported to initiate IFNB-1 a. Mean age on initiating treatment was 12.7 years (range 8 - 15) and mean duration of therapy was 17 months (range 5 - 36). No patient discontinued therapy due to an adverse event.
Conclusions:
Preliminary data indicate that weekly intramuscular injections of IFNB-1 a are well tolerated.