Mitoxantrone treatment in patients with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

We investigated the clinical and MRI effects of mitoxantrone (MITOX) administered to 45 patients during the first five years of highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Differences occurring between the end of treatment and follow-up (clinical mean: 3.6 years; brain MR: 1.8 years) with respect to baseline variables (EDSS, annualized relapse rate, active T2 lesions, new T1 lesions and number of Gd-enhancing lesions) were analysed using parametric and non-parametric tests. One patient developed leukemia four months after the end of the treatment; no other serious adverse events occurred during treatment and the follow-up period. A clinically relevant reduction in the annualized relapse rate ( P < 0.0001 at end of treatment and P < 0.0001 at follow-up) and improvement in the EDSS (P < 0.0001 at end of treatment and P = 0.0005 at follow-up) was found. At the end of treatment, 53% of patients experienced no increase in active T2 lesions, while 73% showed no increase in the number of new T1 lesions. At follow-up, 41 out of 45 (91%) patients showed a stable MRI pattern and were active-scan free. Despite potential serious adverse events, MITOX may be considered an option in selected patients with very active early MS

Walking improvements with nabiximols in patients with multiple sclerosis

Recently, nabiximols was approved as a treatment in MS spasticity. Data leading to approval and clinical use of nabiximols, although widely recognised, are based on subjective scales. Movement analysis procedures would obtain more detailed data about the impact on mobility. The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess the functional modification of gait patterns induced by nabiximols in MS. We evaluated three-dimensional gait analysis (spatial–temporal and kinematic) variation by means of one-way ANOVA. Twenty patients were enrolled—9 male and 11 female—with mean EDSS of 5.3 (SD ± 0.81) and mean reduction of numerical rating scale during nabiximols treatment of 1.88. The spatial–temporal parameters of gait revealed an increased speed (+15 %, p < 0.001), cadence (+6 %, p < 0.001) and stride length (+10 %, p < 0.001) after treatment. Regarding the kinematics data, the Gait Profile Score after treatment was reduced by 10 % (p < 0.001): Significant changes involved the pelvic area, hip rotation and knee flexion–extension. We found that nabiximols is able to improve the speed, cadence and stride length. Furthermore, the dynamics of the proximal segment of the legs and the knee movement results after treatment are closer to the physiologic values