Trial reportPloS one2017
Management of flu-like syndrome with cetirizine in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis during therapy with interferon beta: Results of a randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled pilot study.
Trial report in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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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
4 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.
- Administration of subcutaneous interferon beta 1a in the evening: data from RELIEF study.Journal of neurology · 2020Trial
- Comparative Analysis of Apigenin-3 Acetate versus Apigenin and Methyl-Prednisolone in Inhibiting Proliferation and Gene Expression of Th1 Cells in Multiple Sclerosis.Cell journal · 2023Article
- A review of possible therapies for multiple sclerosis.Molecular and cellular biochemistry · 2021Review
- Silymarin Restores Regulatory T Cells (Tregs) Function in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Patients In Vitro.Inflammation · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundFlu-like syndrome (FLS) is a common adverse event experienced by patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with interferon beta (IFNβ). FLS can lead to poor treatment adherence and early IFNβ discontinuation. The involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the occurrence of FLS has been suggested. We hypothesized that cetirizine, a second-generation histamine H1 receptor antagonist able to reduce the levels of IL-6, might improve IFNβ-induced FLS.
methodsWe conducted a pilot, cross-over, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of cetirizine 10 mg added after each IFNβ injection to the standard of care for FLS (acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) on FLS in patients with RRMS treated with IFNβ. Patients were randomized to two treatment sequences: 1) 4-week treatment with placebo added to the standard treatment for FLS, followed by 4-week treatment with cetirizine added to the standard of care, and 2) first addition of cetirizine, then of placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean change of FLS severity [11-point visual analog scale (VAS)] after 4 weeks of treatment within each sequence.
resultsForty-five patients (71.1% female, mean age 39.1 years, mean time from RRMS diagnosis 5.8 years) were randomized to treatment sequences 1 and 2. The differences between cetirizine and placebo in the intensity of FLS were not statistically significant: total mean VAS scores at 4 hours from IFNβ injection were 3.57 and 3.42 for cetirizine and placebo, respectively (difference -0.15; 95% confidence interval: from -0.74 to 0.44; p = 0.6029). The two treatments were similar also with regard to other efficacy measures considered and to the safety/tolerability profile.
conclusionsThe addition of cetirizine to the standard of care for IFNβ-induced FLS in patients with RRMS does not seem to provide significant benefits compared with placebo. Further effort is required to understand the mechanisms underlying IFNβ-induced FLS.
trial registrationEudraCT 2013-001055-12.
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