Changes in cognition, arm function and lower body function after slow-release Fampridine treatment

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treatment often focuses on disease-modifying therapies.
• Symptomatic treatments, like Fampridine, aim to improve quality of life in MS patients.
• Evaluating treatment effects across different functional domains is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of slow-release Fampridine (SR Fampridine) on various functional outcomes in a patient cohort.
• To compare the responsiveness of the Six Spot Step Test (SSST) against the Timed 25 Foot Walk (T25FW) in detecting treatment effects.

Main Methods:

• 108 participants were enrolled and baseline assessments included T25FW, SSST, 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), 5 Times Sit-To-Stand test (5-STS), and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT).
• Participants received SR Fampridine 10 mg twice daily for four weeks.
• Post-treatment assessments were conducted after 26-28 days.

Main Results:

• SR Fampridine showed statistically significant improvements across multiple measures: SSST (-3.4s), T25FW (-1.2s), 9-HPT (-1.2s), 5-STS (-3.4s), and SDMT (1.4 a.u.).
• The SSST demonstrated greater responsiveness to SR Fampridine treatment compared to the T25FW (17.0% vs. 11.2% change, p=0.0013).
• Meaningful improvement was observed in 48.6% of participants on the SSST versus 25.7% on the T25FW.

Conclusions:

• SR Fampridine effectively improves function across upper body, lower body, and cognitive domains.
• The SSST is a more sensitive tool than the T25FW for evaluating the effects of SR Fampridine.
• Treatment response was independent of patient demographics and disease severity.