Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41419610›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2025

Serum neurofilament light chain as a biomarker of disease control in multiple sclerosis: a real-world cross-sectional analysis of therapeutic regimens.

Agni M Konitsioti, Finja Schweitzer, Wibke Johannis, Falk Steffen, Stefan Bittner, Gereon R Fink, Michael Schroeter, Clemens Warnke

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

8 authors.

Agni M KonitsiotiDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany. agni.konitsioti@uk-koeln.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7296-4349
Finja SchweitzerInstitute for Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Wibke JohannisInstitute for Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Falk SteffenDepartment of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (Rmn(2)), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Stefan BittnerDepartment of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN) and Immunotherapy (FZI), Rhine Main Neuroscience Network (Rmn(2)), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Gereon R FinkDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Michael SchroeterDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.
Clemens WarnkeDepartment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSerum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) is an established biomarker of disease activity and progression in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), with studies showing elevated sNfL levels during relapses and positive associations with disability scores.

objectiveTo assess sNfL levels in PwMS receiving different disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), with a particular focus on extended-interval dosing (EID) regimens in real-world clinical practice.

methodsIn this two-center cross-sectional study, 172 PwMS without relapses in the preceding three months were included (University Hospital Cologne, n = 125; University Hospital Mainz, n = 47). Patients were categorized into the following groups: (1) low-efficacy DMT (leDMT; n = 8), (2) natalizumab standard-interval dosing (SID; every 4 weeks; n = 7), (3) natalizumab EID (every 6-8 weeks; n = 53), (4) ofatumumab (n = 17), (5) ocrelizumab SID (every 6 months; n = 48), (6) ocrelizumab EID (every 9 months; n = 17), and (7) no DMT (n = 19). sNfL levels were measured once in a cross-sectional design using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

resultsNo significant differences in sNfL levels were observed across DMT subgroups in the ANCOVA analysis after adjusting for age and the presence of new T2 lesions on the most recent cranial MRI. However, PwMS receiving DMTs showed lower sNfL levels compared with untreated patients. Notably EID of ocrelizumab (every 9 months; 1.56 pg/mL, 95% CI 1.26-1.85) and natalizumab (every 8 weeks; 1.46 pg/mL, 95% CI 1.29-1.64) was not associated with higher sNfL levels compared to standard interval dosing (SID) of ocrelizumab (1.45 pg/mL, 95% CI 1.27-1.63) or natalizumab (1.13 pg/mL, 95% CI 0.68-1.58).

conclusionEID regimens were not associated with increased sNfL levels, suggesting that they may effectively limit neuroaxonal damage. Larger studies that assess the added value sNfL monitoring for safely personalizing treatment intervals in PwMS with initially active disease are needed.

Indexed as

Immunologic FactorsMultiple SclerosisNeurofilament ProteinsAdultBiomarkersCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNatalizumabBiomarkersImmunologic FactorsNatalizumabneurofilament protein LNeurofilament Proteinsbiomarkerextended intervallimmunotherapyMultiple SclerosissNfLtherapeutic regimens

Identifiers

PMID41419610
PMCPMC12717141

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.