DX18
Evaluation of Efficacy and Tolerability of Sc IFN Beta 1-a Given Three Times per Week in an Older Multiple Sclerosis Population

Thursday, May 25, 2017
B2 (New Orleans Convention Center)
Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD , Neurology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Caila B Vaughn, PhD, MPH , Neurology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Katelyn S. Kavak, MS , Jacobs MS Center for Treatment and Research, Buffalo, NY
Barbara E. Teter, PhD, MPH , New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium, Buffalo, NY
S. Ahmed Sanai, MD , Department of Neurology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Andrew Goodman, MD , New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium, Buffalo, NY
Patricia K Coyle, MD , New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium, Buffalo, NY
Lauren Krupp, MD , Pediatric MS Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY
Malcolm Gottesman, MD , Comprehensive MS Care Center, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, NY
Keith R Edwards, MD , New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium, Buffalo, NY
Caila B Vaughn, PhD, MPH , Neurology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY



Background: Most MS clinical trials focus on enrolling younger patients (usually < 50 years), and therefore data on the older population is not available. As the MS population is aging, in addition to the increased number of MS patients that are diagnosed at later stages, there is a need for additional information on the efficacy and tolerability of therapeutic interventions in this population.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of interferon beta 1a given SC 3x/week (sc IFN β 1-a tiw) in younger vs. older (≥50 years) relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods: Patients on sc IFN β 1-a tiw were extracted from NYSMSC database (n=510). Follow-up data was examined in a subgroup with data available to determine differences in clinical measures in the year preceding sc IFN β 1-a tiw initiation to ≥ 1 year following therapy initiation between patients <50 and ≥50 years of age.  Comparisons for clinical characteristics as well as patient-reported outcomes (PROs; Lifeware®) were performed.

Results: Of the 510 relapsing MS patients on sc IFN β 1-a tiw, 389 (76.3%) were < 50 and 121 (23.7%) were ≥50 years of age. Younger patients had shorter disease duration (mean=4.6 [SD=5.4] vs 10.2 [8.7] years, p<.001) and had lower EDSS scores (2.6 [1.7] vs 3.9 [2.0] p<.001). There were no significant group differences in psychosocial/mental patient-reported outcomes. Subgroup analyses showed that 142 (62.8%) of the patients in the <50 years had improved/ stable EDSS scores after ≥ 1 year of starting sc IFN β 1-a tiw, similar to those in the ≥50 age (40, 65.6%, p=ns). One hundred and ten (110, 82.7%) patients <50 years old had a stable or improved annualized relapse rate, compared to 31 (88.6%) of those > 50 years of age (p=ns).

Conclusions: Patients ≥ 50 years old have similar clinical (objective and perceived) benefit from sc IFN β 1-a tiw compared to the younger MS patients.