Observational studyBMC neurology2021
Clinical characteristics of middle-aged and older patients with MS treated with interferon beta-1b: post-hoc analysis of a 2-year, prospective, international, observational study.
Observational study in BMC neurology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT00787657 (Betaferon Prospective Study on Adherence, Coping and Nursing Support), which is not on this map. Cited by 10 papers.
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.
Betaferon Prospective Study on Adherence, Coping and Nursing Support
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation and Neuroprotection, Inflammation, Fatigue, and Physical Activity in Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Management of multiple sclerosis in older adults: review of current evidence and future perspectives.Journal of neurology · 2024Review
- Narrative Review on the Use of Cladribine Tablets as Exit Therapy for Stable Elderly Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.Neurology and therapy · 2024Review
- Managing multiple sclerosis in individuals aged 55 and above: a comprehensive review.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Review
- Polypharmacy in Multiple Sclerosis: Prevalence, Risks, and Mitigation Strategies.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2023Review
- Assessing treatment switch among patients with multiple sclerosis: A machine learning approach.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2023Article
- Late-Onset MS: Disease Course and Safety-Efficacy of DMTS.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Review
- Article
- Associated factors of potential drug-drug interactions and drug-food interactions in patients with multiple sclerosis.Therapeutic advances in chronic disease · 2022Article
- Treatment of older patients with multiple sclerosis: Results of an International Delphi Survey.Multiple sclerosis journal - experimental, translational and clinicalArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDespite trends towards the increased age of patients living with multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about the response of older adults with MS to disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Thus, a post-hoc analysis was undertaken using data from a 2-year, international, non-interventional, prospective cohort study (NCT00787657; BEACON: BEtaferon prospective study on Adherence, COping and Nurse support) of patients above the age of 40 years with MS and starting interferon beta-1b (IFNB-1b) treatment within 6 months before study entry.
methodsMiddle-aged and older patients with MS were divided into two sub-groups: 41-50 years and > 50 years. Treatment with IFNB-1b started within 6 months before study entry. Patients were followed-up for a 2-year observation period. Assessments included disease history and course, annualised relapse rate (ARR), Expanded Disability Scale Score (EDSS), treatment adherence, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and adverse events (AE).
resultsAt baseline, the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (n = 481) aged 41-50 years (n = 327) and > 50 years (n = 154), had mean (standard deviation [SD]) ages of 45.1 (2.8) and 56.2 (4.2) years, maximum age of 72 years, and duration of MS since onset of symptoms of 3.9 (5.2) and 5.9 (7.1) years, respectively. At baseline, the proportion of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) was 96.3 and 94.9 %, and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) was 3.7 and 5.1 %, in the 41-50 and > 50 years sub-groups, respectively. The ARR in the 2 years before study start was 0.93 (0.48) and 0.86 (0.54) for the 41-50 and > 50 years groups, respectively, and decreased since study start to 0.20 (1.09) and 0.07 (0.37), respectively. The percentage of patients with anxiety and depression, as measured by HADS, were stable over the study period. Polypharmacy (five or more medications) was seen in 32.3 and 41.2 % of patients aged 41-50 and > 50 years. No unexpected AEs were reported.
conclusionsThis study provides observational data on patients between 40 and 72 years of age, suggesting that IFNB-1b can be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option in MS patients of advanced age.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00787657.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.