Response to interferon in multiple sclerosis is related to lipid-specific oligoclonal IgM bands

Mult Scler. 2010 Jul;16(7):810-5. doi: 10.1177/1352458510371961. Epub 2010 Jun 10.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the presence of lipid-specific oligoclonal IgM bands (LS-OCMB) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) influences the response to treatment with beta-interferon in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. We performed a collaborative prospective study including RRMS patients with brain MRI and LS-OCMB studies performed before starting interferon treatment. The primary endpoint was the risk of having a relapse after treatment initiation. Secondary endpoints included relapse rate, relapse-rate reduction, proportion of relapse-free patients and proportion of patients with sustained disability increase during follow-up. One-hundred and two patients were included. After a mean follow-up of 37.4 months, the risk of suffering a relapse was two-fold higher in patients with LS-OCMB (hazard ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.1-3.8). LS-OCMB+ patients showed lower reduction in relapse rate (51.8% versus 80.8%; p < 0.0001), higher relapse rate in the first year (0.8 versus 0.2; p = 0.001), lower proportion of relapse-free patients (25% versus 61.3%; p = 0.003), and higher proportion of patients with sustained 1.0 increase in the Expanded Disability Status Score (45% versus 12.9%; p = 0.0003). In conclusion, LS-OCMB can have an influence on the response to interferon treatment in RRMS patients. They could be used as a biological marker to predict high inflammatory activity after treatment.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Immunologic Factors / immunology
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Interferon beta-1a
  • Interferon beta-1b
  • Interferon-beta / immunology
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use*
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Lipids / immunology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / diagnosis
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / immunology
  • Oligoclonal Bands / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Spain
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Lipids
  • Oligoclonal Bands
  • Interferon beta-1b
  • Interferon-beta
  • Interferon beta-1a