Effect of treatment with interferon beta-1a on changes in voxel-wise magnetization transfer ratio in normal appearing brain tissue and lesions of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A 24-week, controlled pilot study

Robert Zivadinov, Michael G. Dwyer, Silva Markovic-Plese, Cheryl Kennedy, Niels Bergsland, Deepa P. Ramasamy, Jacqueline Durfee, David Hojnacki, Brooke Hayward, Fernando Dangond, Bianca Weinstock-Guttman

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Abstract

Background: This pilot study investigated changes in remyelinating and demyelinating activity in normal appearing brain tissue (NABT) and lesions, by using voxel-wise magnetization transfer ratio (VW-MTR), in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) receiving interferon beta-1a 44 mcg subcutaneously (IFN β-1a SC) three times weekly versus healthy controls (HCs) (NCT01085318). Methods: Increasing (suggestive of remyelination) and decreasing (suggestive of demyelination) VW-MTR changes in NABT and in T2, T1 and gadolinium (Gd)-enhancing lesion volume were measured over 24 weeks in 23 patients treated with IFN β-1a SC and in 15 HCs (where applicable). VW-MTR changes were tested using theWilcoxon signed-rank or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: A trend for greater volume of NABT with increasing VW-MTR at 24 weeks was observed for patients versus HCs (median [range] 1206 [0-15278]; 342 [0-951] mm3; p = 0.061). NABT volume with increasing VW-MTR at 12 weeks was significantly greater in patients than in HCs (852 [6-11577]; 360 [0-1755] mm3; p = 0.028). Similar findings were detected for lesion volumes. Two patients with notably high numbers of Gd-enhancing lesions at baseline had a markedly greater volume of tissue with increasing VW-MTR compared with other patients. Volume of NABT tissue with decreasing VW-MTR was significantly greater in patients versus HCs at 24 weeks (942 [0-6141]; 297 [0-852] mm3; p

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere91098
JournalPLoS One
Volume9
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 13 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
  • Medicine(all)

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