Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41645419›Full record

ArticleBrain and behavior2026

Comorbidities at MS Diagnosis and Their Association With Treatment Persistence: Real-World Clinical Data.

Henrik Ahvenjärvi, Ida Lund, Anne M Portaankorva, Johanna Krüger, Mervi Ryytty

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain and behavior, 2026. 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

5 authors.

Henrik AhvenjärviResearch Unit of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Ida LundResearch Unit of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Anne M PortaankorvaResearch Unit of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Johanna KrügerResearch Unit of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
Mervi RyyttyResearch Unit of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

Funding

Finnish Cultural FoundationFinnish MS FoundationFinnish Neurological SocietyPohjois-Pohjanmaan RahastoState Research fundingUniversity of Oulu Scholarship Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe objectives were to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities at the time of multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis in a Finnish cross-sectional cohort and to analyze whether comorbidities at diagnosis associate with clinical characteristics, treatment delays, initial disease-modifying treatment (DMT) choice, DMT persistence, and disease activity.

methodsPatients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) were recruited during their appointments at the neurology outpatient clinic of the Oulu University Hospital, Finland, between the years 2018 and 2022. The data was gathered from the hospital medical records.

resultsThe study cohort consisted of 421 Finnish RRMS patients, of whom 51.8% had at least one or more comorbidity at the time of MS diagnosis. Depression (16.2%) and migraine (11.6%) were the most common comorbidities. Medium-efficacy injectable DMTs (interferon-β and glatiramer acetate) were associated with lower treatment persistence in patients with any comorbidity or psychiatric comorbidity during the 4-year follow-up. Among patients with psychiatric comorbidity, the rate of DMT discontinuation was high shortly after the DMT initiation, and the annualized relapse rate at the start of the DMT was higher compared with those without psychiatric comorbidity (1.3 [SD 0.78] vs. 1.1 [SD 0.74], p = 0.026).

conclusionComorbidities, especially psychiatric diseases, are associated with lower persistence on injectable DMTs. As comorbidities complicate the treatment of RRMS, it is crucial to identify their role from early on.

Indexed as

DepressionMigraine DisordersMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingAdultComorbidityCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFinlandGlatiramer AcetateHumansInterferon-betaMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceTreatment DelayGlatiramer AcetateInterferon-betacomorbiditydisease activitymultiple sclerosispsychiatric diseasetreatment persistence

Identifiers

PMID41645419
PMCPMC12876043

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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.