Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Long-term interferon-beta treatment for multiple sclerosis.

R M Ruggieri1, N Settipani, L Viviano

  • 1University of Palermo, Via G. La Loggia 1, I-90129 Palermo, Italy.

Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
|January 13, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Graphene oxide increases the phototransduction efficiency of copolymeric nanoimplants and rescues visual functions in rat and pig models of Retinitis pigmentosa.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Parafunctional habits and attitude to oral health reported by students attending public middle schools in the South of Italy.

European journal of paediatric dentistry·2025
Same author

Adaptive response of Italian young adults with autism to the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study.

Research in developmental disabilities·2022
Same author

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults - Fourth Edition profiles of adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences·2022
Same author

Light-induced charge generation in polymeric nanoparticles restores vision in advanced-stage retinitis pigmentosa rats.

Nature communications·2022
Same author

Subduction hides high-pressure sources of energy that may feed the deep subsurface biosphere.

Nature communications·2020
Same journal

Primary Sjogren syndrome with suspected central nervous system inflammatory involvement.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
Same journal

Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for post-stroke spasticity: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
Same journal

Diverging trends in motor neuron disease burden in China: an ageing-driven increase despite declining age-standardised rates - a GBD 2021 analysis.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
Same journal

Efficacy and safety of extended-interval dosing of natalizumab in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis with subgroup evaluation.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
Same journal

Ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance angiography for embolized intracranial aneurysm with coil protrusion into the small parent vessel in the posterior circulation.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
Same journal

Mixing apples and antibodies: when the Cochrane average obscures the evidence in Alzheimer's disease.

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology·2026
See all related articles

Long-term interferon beta (IFNbeta) treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) shows a 39.9% dropout rate over five years. Higher doses led to dropouts due to adverse events, while lower doses were associated with inefficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system.
  • Interferon beta (IFNbeta) preparations are widely used for long-term management of RRMS.
  • Patient adherence and dropout rates are critical factors influencing treatment efficacy and long-term outcomes in RRMS.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze and compare dropout rates among patients with RRMS undergoing long-term treatment with three different commercially available IFNbeta preparations.
  • To identify the primary reasons for treatment discontinuation across different IFNbeta formulations and dosages.
  • To evaluate the impact of treatment dosage and administration route on patient compliance and dropout rates in RRMS.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • A cohort of 122 RRMS patients was divided into four groups based on their IFNbeta treatment: Betaferon (IFNbeta-1b, high-dose subcutaneous), Avonex (IFNbeta-1a, low-dose intramuscular), Rebif (IFNbeta-1b, high-dose subcutaneous), and a fourth group that switched from Betaferon to Avonex.
  • Dropout events and their causes were systematically recorded every trimester over a five-year observation period.
  • Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were employed to statistically evaluate dropout rates and differences between treatment groups.

Main Results:

  • Over five years, 48 patients (39.9%) discontinued their IFNbeta therapy.
  • Dropout rates varied by group: 48% for Betaferon, 26% for Avonex, 38% for Rebif, and 40% for the switch group, with no statistically significant differences in survival analysis.
  • Patients on higher-dose IFNbeta (Betaferon, Rebif) predominantly dropped out due to clinical adverse events, whereas those on lower-dose therapy (Avonex) most frequently cited inefficacy.

Conclusions:

  • Approximately one-third of RRMS patients discontinued IFNbeta therapy within five years, primarily due to adverse events or perceived inefficacy.
  • Treatment compliance appears to be dose-dependent, with higher doses associated with more adverse events and lower doses with inefficacy as primary dropout reasons.
  • The study highlights the need for personalized treatment strategies considering individual patient tolerance and treatment response to optimize long-term management of RRMS.