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Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Pathway Linking Obesity to Autoimmune Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis
Published on: February 23, 2024
Serum neurofilament light chain is a useful biomarker in pediatric multiple sclerosis
Marie-Christine Reinert1, Pascal Benkert2, Jens Wuerfel2
1From the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (M.-C.R., P.H., W.S., J.G.), Division of Pediatric Neurology, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Georg August University Göttingen, Germany; Clinical Trial Unit (P.B.), Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel; Medical Image Analysis Centre Basel (MIAC AG) (J.W., E.R.); Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.W.), University Basel; Neurologic Clinic and Policlinic (Z.M., C.B., D.L., J.K.), Departments of Medicine, Biomedicine and Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel; Novartis Pharma AG (H.K., D.T.), Basel, Switzerland; and Institute of Neuropathology (W.B.), University Medical Centre Göttingen, Georg August University Göttingen, Germany. marie-christine.reinert@med.uni-goettingen.de.
Objective:
To investigate serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) as a potential biomarker for disease activity and treatment response in pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods:
In this retrospective cohort study, sNfL levels were measured in a pediatric MS cohort (n = 55, follow-up 12-105 months) and in a non-neurologic pediatric control cohort (n = 301) using a high-sensitivity single-molecule array assay. Association of sNfL levels and treatment and clinical and MRI parameters were calculated.
Results:
Untreated patients had higher sNfL levels than controls (median 19.0 vs 4.6 pg/mL; CI [4.732, 6.911]), p < 0.001). sNfL levels were significantly associated with MRI activity (+9.1% per contrast-enhancing lesion, CI [1.045, 1.138], p < 0.001; +0.6% per T2-weighted lesion, CI [1.001, 1.010], p = 0.015). Higher values were associated with a relapse <90 days ago (+51.1%; CI [1.184, 1.929], p < 0.001) and a higher Expanded Disability Status Scale score (CI [1.001, 1.240], p = 0.048). In patients treated with interferon beta-1a/b (n = 27), sNfL levels declined from 14.7 to 7.9 pg/mL after 6 ± 2 months (CI [0.339, 0.603], p < 0.001). Patients with insufficient control of clinical or MRI disease activity under treatment with interferon beta-1a/b or glatiramer acetate who switched to fingolimod (n = 18) showed a reduction of sNfL levels from 16.5 to 10.0 pg/mL 6 ± 2 months after switch (CI [0.481, 0.701], p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
sNfL is a useful biomarker for monitoring disease activity and treatment response in pediatric MS. It is most likely helpful to predict disease severity and to guide treatment decisions in patients with pediatric MS. This study provides Class III evidence that sNfL levels are associated with disease activity in pediatric MS.
