Long-Term Effectiveness, Safety and Tolerability of Fingolimod in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis in Real-World Treatment Settings in France: The VIRGILE Study

Online ahead of printInternational audienceIntroduction: It is important to confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of disease-modifying treatments for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in real-world treatment settings. This prospective observational cohort study (VIRGILE) was performed at the request of the French health authorities. The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of fingolimod 0.5 mg in reducing the annualised relapse rate (ARR) in patients with RRMS.Methods: Participating neurologists enrolled all adult patients with RRMS starting fingolimod treatment between 2014 and 2016, who were followed for 3 years. Follow-up consultations took place at the investigator's discretion. The primary outcome measure was the change in ARR at month 24 after fingolimod initiation. Relapses and adverse events were documented at each consultation; disability assessment (EDSS) and magnetic resonance imagery were performed at the investigator's discretion.Results: Of 1055 eligible patients, 633 patients were assessable at month 36; 405 (64.0%) were treated continuously with fingolimod for 3 years. The ARR decreased from 0.92 ± 0.92 at inclusion to 0.31 ± 0.51 at month 24, a significant reduction of 0.58 [95% CI - 0.51 to - 0.65] relapses/year (p < 0.001). Since starting fingolimod, 461 patients (60.9%) remained relapse-free at month 24 and 366 patients (55.5%) at month 36. In multivariate analysis, no previous disease-modifying treatment, number of relapses in the previous year and lower EDSS score at inclusion were associated with a greater on-treatment reduction in ARR. The mean EDSS score remained stable over the course of the study. Sixty-one out of 289 (21.1%) patients presented new radiological signs of disease activity. Treatment-related serious adverse events were lymphopenia (N = 21), bradycardia (N = 19), elevated transaminases (N = 9) and macular oedema (N = 9).Conclusions: The effectiveness and tolerability of fingolimod in everyday clinical practice are consistent with findings of previous phase III studies. Our study highlights the utility of fingolimod for the long-term management of patients with multiple sclerosis

Functional Outcome of Intravenous Thrombolysis in Patients With Lacunar Infarcts in the WAKE-UP Trial

Importance: The rationale for intravenous thrombolysis in patients with lacunar infarcts is debated, since it is hypothesized that the microvascular occlusion underlying lacunar infarcts might not be susceptible to pharmacological reperfusion treatment. Objective: To study the efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis among patients with lacunar infarcts. Design, Setting, and Participants: This exploratory secondary post hoc analysis of the WAKE-UP trial included patients who were screened and enrolled between September 2012 and June 2017 (with final follow-up in September 2017). The WAKE-UP trial was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial to study the efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase in patients with an acute stroke of unknown onset time, guided by magnetic resonance imaging. All 503 patients randomized in the WAKE-UP trial were reviewed for lacunar infarcts. Diagnosis of lacunar infarcts was based on magnetic resonance imaging and made by consensus of 2 independent investigators blinded to clinical information. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary efficacy variable was favorable outcome defined by a score of 0 to 1 on the modified Rankin Scale at 90 days after stroke, adjusted for age and severity of symptoms. Results: Of the 503 patients randomized in the WAKE-UP trial, 108 patients (including 74 men [68.5%]) had imaging-defined lacunar infarcts, whereas 395 patients (including 251 men [63.5%]) had nonlacunar infarcts. Patients with lacunar infarcts were younger than patients with nonlacunar infarcts (mean age [SD], 63 [12] years vs 66 [12] years; P = .003). Of patients with lacunar infarcts, 55 (50.9%) were assigned to treatment with alteplase and 53 (49.1%) to receive placebo. Treatment with alteplase was associated with higher odds of favorable outcome, with no heterogeneity of treatment outcome between lacunar and nonlacunar stroke subtypes. In patients with lacunar strokes, a favorable outcome was observed in 31 of 53 patients (59%) in the alteplase group compared with 24 of 52 patients (46%) in the placebo group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.67 [95% CI, 0.77-3.64]). There was 1 death and 1 symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage according to Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-Monitoring Study criteria in the alteplase group, while no death and no symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in the placebo group. The distribution of the modified Rankin Scale scores 90 days after stroke also showed a nonsignificant shift toward better outcomes in patients with lacunar infarcts treated with alteplase, with an adjusted common odds ratio of 1.94 (95% CI, 0.95-3.93). Conclusions and Relevance: While the WAKE-UP trial was not powered to demonstrate the efficacy of treatment in subgroups of patients, the results indicate that the association of intravenous alteplase with functional outcome does not differ in patients with imaging-defined lacunar infarcts compared with those experiencing other stroke subtypes.status: publishe