Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26450155›Full record

Observational studyBMC neurology2015

Sub-analysis of geographical variations in the 2-year observational COPTIMIZE trial of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis converting to glatiramer acetate.

Tjalf Ziemssen, Yossi Gilgun-Sherki

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC neurology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Disease-modifying therapies in multiple sclerosis in Latin America.Multiple sclerosis journal - experimental, translational and clinical
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Tjalf ZiemssenCenter of Clinical Neuroscience, Neurological University Clinic, University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, D-01307, Dresden, Germany. tjalf.ziemssen@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
Yossi Gilgun-SherkiTeva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, 5 Basel Street, Petah Tikva, 49131, Israel. Ygilgun@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStudies suggest that patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who fail to benefit from a disease-modifying treatment (DMT) may benefit from converting to another DMT class. COPTIMIZE was a 24-month observational study designed to assess the disease course of patients converting to glatiramer acetate (GA) 20 mg daily from another DMT and the association of disease characteristics and reasons for converting. This sub-analysis was to determine if any findings varied by three geographic locations: Latin America (LA), Canada and Western Europe (CWE), and Eastern Europe (EE).

methodsA total of 668 patients were included (263 LA, 248 CWE, 157 EE) in an analysis of annualized relapse rate (ARR) and annualized rate of deterioration (ARD), as well as secondary endpoints including reason for DMT switch and changes in disability and fatigue scores. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and log transformation were used to analyze ARR and ARD, whereas the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for secondary endpoints.

resultsThe sub-analysis of treatment outcomes stratified by region showed that Latin American patients had higher ARR before conversion to GA compared with patients from the other two areas and subsequently experienced the largest reduction in ARR. Latin American patients also had higher baseline rates of comorbidities and relapses with incomplete remissions and improved more than those in the other two regions based on measures of fatigue, quality of life, depression, and cognition scores. Latin American patients also generally had a better perception of the benefits associated with their conversion to GA in terms of efficacy and adverse events.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that, in RRMS patients, converting to GA is associated with positive treatment outcomes regardless of geographic location. However, the reasons for converting and the type and degree of any associated benefits appear to vary depending on various factors, including patients' geographical location.

Indexed as

AdultCanadaCognitionDepressionEuropeFatigueFemaleGlatiramer AcetateHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsLatin AmericaMaleMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingQuality of LifeGlatiramer AcetateImmunosuppressive Agents

Identifiers

PMID26450155
PMCPMC4599648

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Registered trials

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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.