Comparative effectiveness of dimethyl fumarate versus non-specific immunosuppressants: Real-world evidence from MSBase

Tim Spelman, Sara Eichau, Raed Alroughani, Serkan Ozakbas, Samia J. Khoury, Francesco Patti, Eva Kubala Havrdova, Cavit Boz, Murat Terzi, Jens Kuhle, Pierre Grammond, Jeanette Lechner-Scott, Orla Gray, Maria Pia Amato, Guy Laureys, Vahid Shaygannejad, Robert Hyde, Haijue Wang, Ivan Bozin, Nicholas BelvisoChao Quan, Feng Zeng, Anneke van der Walt, Helmut Butzkueven, the MSBase Study Group

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The use of non-specific immunosuppressants (NSIS) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) remains prevalent in certain geographies despite safety concerns, likely due to resource limitations. Objective: To use MSBase registry data to compare real-world outcomes in adults with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) treated with dimethyl fumarate (DMF) or NSIS (azathioprine, cyclosporine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, mitoxantrone or mycophenolate mofetil) between January 1, 2014 and April 1, 2022. Methods: Treatment outcomes were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) Cox regression. Outcomes were annualized relapse rates (ARRs), time to discontinuation, time to first relapse (TTFR) and time to 24-week confirmed disability progression (CDP) or 24-week confirmed disability improvement (CDI; in patients with baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score ≥2). Results: After IPTW, ARR was similar for DMF (0.13) and NSIS (0.16; p = 0.29). There was no difference in TTFR between cohorts (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.98; p = 0.84). The DMF cohort experienced longer times to discontinuation (HR: 0.75; p = 0.001) and CDP (HR: 0.53; p = 0.001), and shorter time to CDI (HR: 1.99; p < 0.008), versus the NSIS cohort. Conclusion: This analysis supports the use of DMF to treat patients with relapsing forms of MS, and may have implications for MS practices in countries where NSIS are commonly used to treat RRMS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-13
Number of pages13
JournalMultiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational and Clinical
Volume10
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024

Keywords

  • Dimethyl fumarate
  • effectiveness
  • non-specific immunosuppressants
  • real-world
  • relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

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