Interferon β treatment for multiple sclerosis has a graduated effect on MRI enhancing lesions according to their size and pathology
- M Filippia,
- M Rovarisa,
- R Caprac,
- C Gasperinie,
- F Prandinid,
- V Martinellib,
- M A Horsfieldg,
- S Bastianellof,
- M P Sormania,h,
- C Pozzillie,
- G Comib
- aNeuroimaging Research Unit, bClinical Trials Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, University of Milan, Milan, Italy, cDepartment of Neurology, dDepartment of Neuroradiology, Spedali Civili, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy, eDepartment of Neurology, fDepartment of Neuroradiology, Università “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, gDivision of Medical Physics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, hUnit of Clinical Epidemiology and Trials, National Institute for Cancer Research, Genoa, Italy
- Dr Massimo Filippi, Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy. Telephone 0039 02 2643 3033; fax 0039 02 2643 3031.
- Received 27 October 1998
- Revised 4 February 1999
- Accepted 18 March 1999
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The ability of recombinant human interferon β-1a (rh-IFN β-1a) to suppress multiple sclerosis activity, evaluated from MRI, was assessed across a range of lesions enhancing at different gadolinium-DTPA (Gd) doses and with different sizes.
METHODS Every 4 weeks, standard dose (Sd; 0.1 mmol/kg Gd) and triple dose (Td; 0.3 mmol/kgGd) MRI were obtained from 18 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for 3 months before and 4 months after starting treatment with 44 μg rh-IFN β-1a subcutaneously, once a week.
RESULTS The total numbers of enhancing lesions were 145 and 126 on Sd scans and 278 and 192 on the Td scans obtained before and after treatment. The introduction of treatment decreased, on average, the rate of appearance of new enhancing lesions seen on Sd and Td scans by 37% (p<0.001). Treatment effects on new enhancing lesions seen on Td scans was, on average, 28% higher than on those seen on Sd scans. The distribution of lesion sizes on Td scans changed significantly during the treatment period (p=0.05), due to a marked decrease in the number of small lesions.
CONCLUSIONS The effect of 44 μg rh-IFN β-1a in reducing multiple sclerosis disease activity, as monitored by Gd enhanced MRI, is not homogeneous, but graduated according to the pathological characteristics and size of the lesions.
