Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33948117›Full record

ArticleTherapeutic advances in neurological disorders2021

High rates of JCV seroconversion in a large international cohort of natalizumab-treated patients.

Christopher M Dwyer, Vilija G Jokubaitis, Jim Stankovich, Josephine Baker, Jodi Haartsen, Helmut Butzkueven, Adriana Cartwright, Neil Shuey, Yara Dadalti Fragoso, Louise Rath and 7 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Anti-JCV antibody index seroconversion in Turkish multiple sclerosis patients treated with natalizumab.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Observational
  6. JCV seroconversion rate during the SARS COVID-19 pandemic.Multiple sclerosis and related disorders · 2022
    Article
  7. Article
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

17 authors at 8 institutions in 2 countries.

Christopher M DwyerMelbourne Brain Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, VC 3050, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6387-6585
Vilija G JokubaitisDepartment of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VC, Australia.
Jim StankovichDepartment of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VC, Australia.
Josephine BakerMelbourne Brain Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VC, Australia.
Jodi HaartsenEastern Clinical Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Helmut ButzkuevenEastern Clinical Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Adriana CartwrightDepartment of Neurology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Neil ShueyDepartment of Neurology, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Yara Dadalti FragosoUniversidade Metropolitana de Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Louise RathDepartment of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VC, Australia.
Olga SkibinaDepartment of Neurology, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VC, Australia.
Kylie FryerDepartment of Neurology, Monash Health, Clayton, VC, Australia.
Ernest ButlerDepartment of Neurology, Monash Health, Clayton, VC, Australia.
Jennifer ColemanDepartment of Neurology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
Jennifer MacIntryeDepartment of Neurology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
Richard MacdonellDepartment of Neurology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia.
Anneke van der WaltDepartment of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VC 3004, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4278-7003
Austin Health · AUMonash University · AUBox Hill Hospital · AUMonash Health · AUSt Vincent's Hospital Melbourne · AUThe Alfred Hospital · AUThe Royal Melbourne Hospital · AUUniversidade Metropolitana de Santos · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo retrospectively assess factors associated with John Cunningham virus (JCV) seroconversion in natalizumab-treated patients.

backgroundNatalizumab is highly effective for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), but its use is complicated by opportunistic JCV infection. This virus can result in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). Serial assessment of JCV serostatus is mandated during natalizumab treatment.

methodsPatients treated with natalizumab for RRMS at six tertiary hospitals in Melbourne, Australia (

resultsFrom a cohort of 1001 natalizumab-treated patients, durable positive seroconversion was observed in 83 of 345 initially JCV negative patients (24.1%; 7.3% per year). Conversely, 16 of 165 initially JCV positive patients experienced durable negative seroconversion (9.7%; 3.8% per year). Forty patients (3.9%) had fluctuating serostatus. Time-to-event analysis did not identify a relationship between JCV seroconversion and duration of natalizumab exposure. Prior exposure to immunosuppression was not associated with an increased hazard of positive JCV seroconversion. Male sex was associated with increased JCV seroconversion risk [adjusted hazard ratio 2.09 (95% confidence interval 1.17-3.71)

conclusionIn this large international cohort of natalizumab-treated patients we observed an annual durable positive seroconversion rate of 7.3%. This rate exceeds that noted in registration and post-marketing studies for natalizumab. This rate also greatly exceeds that predicted by epidemiological studies of JCV seroconversion in healthy populations. Taken together, our findings support emerging evidence that natalizumab causes off-target immune changes that may be trophic for JCV seroconversion. In addition, male sex may be associated with increased positive JCV seroconversion.

Indexed as

John Cunningham virusMultiple sclerosisnatalizumabseroconversion

Identifiers

PMID33948117
PMCPMC8053827
OpenAlexW3155324800

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.