Interferon beta does not slow MS progression, new study reveals
Interferon beta, a biologic response modifying medication, is commonly prescribed in cases of multiple sclerosis (MS) and until recently associated to delays in the progression of the disease. The injectable drug is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring protein, according to the National Library of Medicine.
In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, evidence indicates Interferon beta does not delay the progression of MS as previously thought. It does, however, reduce flare-ups, which warrants continued usage according to researchers.
“Treatment with beta interferon was not associated with a delay in progression to disability,” said to WebMD researcher Helen Tremlett, PhD, of the University of British Columbia. “It may be that in subgroups of patients these drugs do slow disease progression, but we were not able to show this.”
For the research, approximately 2,700 MS patients with reoccurring flare-ups, known as relapsing-remitting MS, were followed for a period of 11 years. One-third of the test subjects were placed on interferon beta in the 1990s; one-third was not placed on the medication; one third was evaluated before interferon became available.
At the end of the research study, the interferon beta test group and the non-interferon beta test group reached the standard level of disability — defined as needing a cane to walk 330 feet — within the same time frame.
“We were not able to find a significant association between interferon beta exposure and progression to disability,” said to Health Day Helen Tremlett, an associate professor of neurology at the University of British Columbia.
Tremlett added that mainstream beliefs about interferon beta were based on theories that reducing relapse rates indicated a “beneficial impact” on disease progression. The current research, however, suggest otherwise.
Treatment for MS won’t likely change much, says Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer for the National MS Society. While not beneficial for delaying MS disabilities, interferon beta does reduce the occurrence of flare-ups.
“If patients are taking the existing disease-modifying therapies [such as interferon beta] they should continue to take them,” he said. “Those drugs were approved for treating MS based on strong clinical trial results that found over a two- to three-year period, people did better with the drugs.”
Multiple Sclerosis is an auto immune disease affecting the brain and the spinal cord, states PubMed Health. It affects more than 300,000 people in the United States, generally causing significant disabilities within 10-20 years of diagnosis.
Aside from interferon beta, treatment includes the use of steroids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and cholinergic medications to decrease the severity of symptoms. While treatment can decrease MS flare-ups, no cure exists at this time.
In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, evidence indicates Interferon beta does not delay the progression of MS as previously thought. It does, however, reduce flare-ups, which warrants continued usage according to researchers.
“Treatment with beta interferon was not associated with a delay in progression to disability,” said to WebMD researcher Helen Tremlett, PhD, of the University of British Columbia. “It may be that in subgroups of patients these drugs do slow disease progression, but we were not able to show this.”
For the research, approximately 2,700 MS patients with reoccurring flare-ups, known as relapsing-remitting MS, were followed for a period of 11 years. One-third of the test subjects were placed on interferon beta in the 1990s; one-third was not placed on the medication; one third was evaluated before interferon became available.
At the end of the research study, the interferon beta test group and the non-interferon beta test group reached the standard level of disability — defined as needing a cane to walk 330 feet — within the same time frame.
“We were not able to find a significant association between interferon beta exposure and progression to disability,” said to Health Day Helen Tremlett, an associate professor of neurology at the University of British Columbia.
In a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, evidence indicates Interferon beta does not delay the progression of MS as previously thought. (Shutterstock photo)
Treatment for MS won’t likely change much, says Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer for the National MS Society. While not beneficial for delaying MS disabilities, interferon beta does reduce the occurrence of flare-ups.
“If patients are taking the existing disease-modifying therapies [such as interferon beta] they should continue to take them,” he said. “Those drugs were approved for treating MS based on strong clinical trial results that found over a two- to three-year period, people did better with the drugs.”
Multiple Sclerosis is an auto immune disease affecting the brain and the spinal cord, states PubMed Health. It affects more than 300,000 people in the United States, generally causing significant disabilities within 10-20 years of diagnosis.
Aside from interferon beta, treatment includes the use of steroids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and cholinergic medications to decrease the severity of symptoms. While treatment can decrease MS flare-ups, no cure exists at this time.
Source:
Interferon beta does not slow MS progression, new study reveals
http://www.voxxi.com/interferon-beta-multiple-sclerosis-ms/
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