Abstract: Effect of Interferon Beta-1a SC on Lesion Iron Content in Multiple Sclerosis (The 27th Annual Meeting of the CMSC and the 5th Cooperative Meeting of the CMSC-ACTRIMS)

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Robert Zivadinov, MD, PhD, FAAN , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Silva Markovic-Plese, MD, PhD , Department of Neurology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Michael G Dwyer, MSc , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Brooke Hayward, SM, MBA, , EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, MA

Niels Bergsland, MS , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Mari Heininen-Brown, BA , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Ellen Carl, MS , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Cheryl Kennedy, LMSW, MPH , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Fernando Dangond, MD, FAAN , EMD Serono, Inc., Rockland, MA

Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD , Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, Buffalo, NY

Background: Studies have shown a relationship between increased iron content and clinical progression, cognitive impairment, and brain atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Abnormal phase, as determined using the novel, advanced magnetic resonance imaging technique of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), can potentially capture iron content changes more accurately than other available imaging techniques.

Objectives: To investigate changes of abnormal phase in subcortical deep-gray matter (SDGM) and volume/number of visible lesions on SWI-filtered phase in patients with relapsing–remitting MS receiving interferon β-1a (IFN β-1a) vs. untreated healthy controls (HCs) who completed a 24-week study.

Methods: Twenty-three patients who received IFN β-1a subcutaneously for 6 months and 15 HCs were imaged on a 3T scanner at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks (NCT01085318). Mean phase of the abnormal phase tissue was determined for total SDGM, caudate, putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, pulvinar nucleus, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, red nucleus, and substantia nigra. Changes in lesion number and volume visible on SWI-filtered phase images were assessed over 24 weeks. Between and within abnormal phase changes over follow-up were tested using non-parametric statistics adjusted for multiple comparisons.

Results: At baseline, patients showed significantly decreased abnormal phase in caudate (p=0.001), total SDGM (p=0.003) and putamen (p=0.008), compared with HCs. A trend for decreased abnormal phase was detected in thalamus, pulvinar nucleus and globus pallidus (p<0.05). Changes in abnormal phase between patients and HCs, or within individual groups, were not significant for any SDGM region over 24 weeks. However, there was a significant decrease of lesion volume (p<0.001) and number (p=0.003) of lesions visible on SWI-filtered phase images in patients over 24 weeks.

Conclusions: Over 24 weeks, IFN β-1a-treated patients experienced a similar change in iron content compared to HCs. In patients, IFN β-1a significantly decreased the number and volume of visible lesions on SWI-filtered phase over follow-up.

P39 Effect of Interferon Beta-1a SC on Lesion Iron Content in Multiple Sclerosis