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       #Post#: 718--------------------------------------------------
       (Abst.) Beta-interferon exposure and onset of SPMS
       By: agate Date: April 11, 2015, 7:23 pm
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       From PubMed, April 9, 2015:
       [quote]Eur J Neurol. 2015 Apr 6.
       Beta-interferon exposure and onset of secondary progressive
       multiple sclerosis
       Zhang T1, Shirani A, Zhao Y, Karim ME, Gustafson P, Petkau J,
       Evans C, Kingwell E, van der Kop M, Zhu F, Oger J, Tremlett H;
       BC MS Clinic Neurologists.
       Author information
       1Division of Neurology and Brain Research Centre, Department of
       Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
       BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:
       Beta-interferons (IFNβ) are the most widely prescribed
       drugs for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However,
       whether or not treatment with IFNβ can delay secondary
       progressive MS (SPMS) onset remains unknown. Our aim was to
       examine the association between IFNβ exposure and SPMS
       onset in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).
       METHODS:
       A retrospective cohort study using British Columbia (Canada)
       population-based clinical and health administrative data
       (1985-2008) was conducted. RRMS patients treated with IFNβ
       (n = 794) were compared with untreated contemporary (n = 933)
       and historical (n = 837) controls. Cohort entry was the first
       clinic visit during which patients became eligible for IFNβ
       treatment (baseline). The outcome was time from baseline to SPMS
       onset. Cox regression models with IFNβ as a time-dependent
       exposure were adjusted for sex, and baseline age, disease
       duration, disability, *socioeconomic status and *comorbidities
       (*available for the contemporary cohorts only). Additional
       analyses included propensity score adjustment.
       RESULTS:
       The median follow-up for the IFNβ-treated, untreated
       contemporary and historical controls were 5.7, 3.7 and 7.3
       years, and the proportions of patients reaching SPMS were 9.2%,
       11.8% and 32.9%, respectively. After adjustment for confounders,
       IFNβ exposure was not associated with the risk of reaching
       SPMS when either the contemporary or the historical untreated
       cohorts were considered (hazard ratio 1.07; 95% confidence
       interval 0.93-1.48, and hazard ratio 1.04; 95% confidence
       interval 0.74-1.46, respectively). Further adjustments and the
       propensity score yielded results consistent with the main
       analysis.
       CONCLUSIONS:
       Amongst patients with RRMS, use of IFNβ was not associated
       with a delayed onset of SPMS.
       [/quote]
       The abstract can be seen here
  HTML http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25846809.
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