Volume : V, Issue : V, May - 2016

LONGTERM FOLLOWUP OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS IN SAUDIARABIATHE INTERFERON BETA THERAPY RETAINS ITS EFFICACY DESPITE POOR DRUG COMPLIANCE.

Maqbool Wani, Mudasir Mushtaq, Basharat Hameed, Waseem Akhtar

Abstract :

 INTRODUCTION: – In multiple sclerosis (MS), disease modifying therapy (DMT) with interferon beta is used in Saudi Arabia for many years. OBJECTIVE:– To study Longterm follow up (LTFU) of patients of multiple sclerosis on interferon beta. METHODS:– A total of 41 patients of MS were identified from the pharmacy records and computer database of a referral centre in Saudi Arabia, and interviewed personally regarding disease activity, relapses and disability. RESULTS:– The 34 out of 41 patients had received interferon beta subcutaneous therapy for a mean duration of 46.7 months. The annualized relapse rate fell from 0.69 per year to 0.56 per year in these patients after initiation of therapy. Most of the patients not on interferon were ambulatory at the time of the study. In the patients with relapsing remitting MS, on interferon therapy 91% had still not reached a EDSS score of 4. CONCLUSION:– Subcutaneous interferon beta therapy is efficacious in patients of relapsing remitting MS in terms of relapse reduction and disability, in Saudi patients on longterm follow–up

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

Maqbool Wani, Mudasir Mushtaq, Basharat Hameed, Waseem Akhtar LONGTERM FOLLOWUP OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS IN SAUDIARABIATHE INTERFERON BETA THERAPY RETAINS ITS EFFICACY DESPITE POOR DRUG COMPLIANCE. International Journal of Scientific Research, Vol : 5, Issue : 5 MAY 2016

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