…patients (Havrdova et al. Lancet Neurol 2009;8:254-260). “Disease activity-free” (DAF) was defined as no relapses, no sustained disability progression and no MRI activity (no Gd+ lesions, no new/enlarging T2 lesions). A newer term for DAF now in use is no evidence of disease activity, or NEDA. In a special presentation at ACTRIMS/ECTRIMS, it was noted that NEDA rates have been calculated for most of the DMTs, although somewhat different definitio…

…certainty about the trial medication (59%), distance to travel (27%), time commitment (22%) and apprehension about the study procedures (7%). A majority of respondents said they would participate in a comparative trial; whereas only 29% said they would participate in a trial with a placebo arm. Only 49% thought that participation in research was beneficial; in part this appeared to reflect the study sample, many of whom had been living with MS for…

…ogenic CD4+ Th17 cells in humans (Kleinewietfeld et al. Nature 2013;496:518-522; free full text at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746493/pdf/nihms500370.pdf). This effect is specific to Th17, with little or no effect on Th1 or Th2 differentiation or proliferation. Moreover, salt-induced Th17 cells demonstrate increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha and IL-2. A new study reports that higher salt consumption is a…

…nold et al. ECTRIMS 2014; abstract FC2.2). A total of 72% were MRI activity-free in year 3. In the CARE-MS II extension, 68% of alemtuzumab-treated patients received no additional courses; 24% and 7% received one or two additional courses, respectively (Hartung et al. ECTRIMS 2014; abstract P043). A total of 25 of 393 patients (6.4%) in the alemtuzumab arm discontinued the study, and 7 of 146 (4.8%) in the IFN/alemtuzumab arm. In year 3, 68% of pa…

…EPTEMBER 10-13, 2014 – Cognitive outcomes appear to be similar in pediatric-onset MS and adult-onset MS despite a longer disease duration in younger patients (Hakiki et al. ECTRIMS 2014; abstract YI2.3). Neuropsychological performance was assessed with the Rao Brief Repeatable Battery and the Stroop test in 14 patients with a history of pediatric-onset MS and 30 age-matched adult RRMS patients. Duration of MS was 9.8 years and 3.7 years, respectiv…