Injectable Disease Modifying Agents in Multiple Sclerosis: Pattern of Medication Use and Clinical Effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) management relies on disease-modifying agents (DMAs).
• Long-term adherence and efficacy data for injectable DMAs are crucial for treatment optimization.
• Understanding treatment patterns and outcomes in early-diagnosed MS patients is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the long-term use, adherence, and efficacy of injectable disease-modifying agents (DMAs) in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.
• To evaluate treatment adherence and annualized relapse rates (ARR) following initial DMA selection and potential switches.
• To analyze healthcare resource utilization in MS patients on injectable DMAs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 113 MS patients diagnosed between 2002-2010 in Finland.
• Analysis of annualized relapse rates (ARR) and medication switch frequency.
• Assessment of healthcare facility usage during the study period.

Main Results:

• 13% of patients switched DMAs, with a mean treatment duration of 3.8 years.
• Overall mean ARR was 0.26, with 54% of treatment periods being relapse-free.
• Switching to a second DMA showed a trend towards improved efficacy (ARR decreased from 0.41 to 0.28).

Conclusions:

• Long-term adherence to first-choice injectable DMAs is achievable in MS patients.
• Switching between DMAs demonstrates sustained adherence and can lead to increased clinical effectiveness.
• Continued efforts to identify effective and well-tolerated first-line DMAs are recommended for improved patient outcomes.