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Published on: December 9, 2015
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Medication trajectories among persons with multiple sclerosis in a Quebec birth cohort
Yasmine Sadou1, Marie-Claude Rousseau2, Karen Leffondre3
1Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Canada.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|April 5, 2026
Summary
Polypharmacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients shows distinct long-term trajectories. Factors like age, sex, and socioeconomic status influence medication use patterns in MS care.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacoepidemiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Polypharmacy is common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and impacts quality of life.
- Limited data exists on long-term medication use evolution in MS patients in Quebec, Canada.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify distinct medication use trajectories in individuals with MS.
- To characterize individuals within these identified medication trajectories.
Main Methods:
- Latent class growth analysis was applied to a birth cohort of MS patients in Quebec.
- Included individuals with MS covered by public drug insurance for at least three years until 2014.
Main Results:
- Four stable medication trajectories (low, moderate, high, very high) were identified over a decade.
- The 'very high' trajectory group (n=31) had a median of 14.5 medications and was associated with female sex, older age at diagnosis, rural residence, and material deprivation.
- Central nervous system drugs were the most frequently claimed medications.
Conclusions:
- Distinct medication trajectories exist for individuals with MS.
- These trajectories vary based on age at diagnosis, sex, geographic location, and socioeconomic factors.
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