Trial reportNeurology2015
Effects of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate on MRI measures in the phase 3 CONFIRM study.
Trial report in Neurology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 65 citations in OpenAlex.
- Natalizumab and Tyruko (natalizumab biosimilar) for treating highly active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis after at least one disease-modifying therapy: a systematic review and economic model.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2026Pooled it
- Immunomodulators and immunosuppressants for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a network meta-analysis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Adverse effects of immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis: a network meta-analysis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Disease-modifying therapies and T1 hypointense lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.CNS neuroscience & therapeutics · 2022Pooled it
- The effect of disease-modifying therapies on brain volume loss and disability accumulation in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2025Article
- Beyond Efficacy: Persistence, NEDA, and Therapeutic Decision-Making in First-Line Multiple Sclerosis Treatment.Neurology and therapy · 2025Article
- Effects of fingolimod on focal and diffuse damage in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis - The "EVOLUTION" study.Journal of neurology · 2024Observational
- Article
- Brain Atrophy as an Outcome of Disease-Modifying Therapy for Remitting-Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.Multiple sclerosis international · 2023Review
- Short-term exposure to dimethyl fumarate (DMF) inhibits LPS-induced IκBζ expression in macrophages.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Article
- MicroRNAs as a possible biomarker in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.IBRO neuroscience reports · 2022Review
- A Narrative Review on Axonal Neuroprotection in Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology and therapy · 2022Review
- Quantitative magnetization transfer imaging in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Brain communications · 2022Review
- Effects of Dimethyl Fumarate on Brain Atrophy in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Pooled Analysis Phase 3 DEFINE and CONFIRM Studies.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Article
- Review
- Matching comparisons of therapeutic efficacy suggest better clinical outcomes for patients treated with peginterferon beta-1a than with glatiramer acetate.Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders · 2021Article
- Association of brain volume loss and long-term disability outcomes in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with teriflunomide.Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2020Article
- Current Landscape of NRF2 Biomarkers in Clinical Trials.Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Review
- Approved and Emerging Disease Modifying Therapies on Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Review
- MAGNIMS consensus recommendations on the use of brain and spinal cord atrophy measures in clinical practice.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors at 3 institutions in 5 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate the effects of oral delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF; also known as gastro-resistant DMF) on MRI lesion activity and load, atrophy, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) measures from the Comparator and an Oral Fumarate in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (CONFIRM) study.
methodsCONFIRM was a 2-year, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of DMF 240 mg twice (BID) or 3 times daily (TID) in 1,417 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS); subcutaneous glatiramer acetate 20 mg once daily was included as an active reference comparator. The number and volume of T2-hyperintense, T1-hypointense, and gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) lesions, as well as whole brain volume and MTR, were assessed in 681 patients (MRI cohort).
resultsDMF BID and TID produced significant and consistent reductions vs placebo in the number of new or enlarging T2-hyperintense lesions and new nonenhancing T1-hypointense lesions after 1 and 2 years of treatment and in the number of Gd+ lesions at week 24, year 1, and year 2. Lesion volumes were also significantly reduced. Reductions in brain atrophy and MTR changes with DMF relative to placebo did not reach statistical significance.
conclusionsThe robust effects on MRI active lesion counts and total lesion volume in patients with RRMS demonstrate the ability of DMF to exert beneficial effects on inflammatory lesion activity in multiple sclerosis, and support DMF therapy as a valuable new treatment option in RRMS. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class I evidence of reduction in brain lesion number and volume, as assessed by MRI, over 2 years of delayed-release DMF treatment.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.