To save content items to your account,
please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies.
If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account.
Find out more about saving content to .
To save content items to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org
is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings
on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part
of your Kindle email address below.
Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations.
‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi.
‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
The Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Working Group has updated its treatment optimization recommendations (TORs) on the optimal use of disease-modifying therapies for patients with all forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Recommendations provide guidance on initiating effective treatment early in the course of disease, monitoring response to therapy, and modifying or switching therapies to optimize disease control. The current TORs also address the treatment of pediatric MS, progressive MS and the identification and treatment of aggressive forms of the disease. Newer therapies offer improved efficacy, but also have potential safety concerns that must be adequately balanced, notably when treatment sequencing is considered. There are added discussions regarding the management of pregnancy, the future potential of biomarkers and consideration as to when it may be prudent to stop therapy. These TORs are meant to be used and interpreted by all neurologists with a special interest in the management of MS.
This chapter summarizes interferon (IFN) biological effects, its possible mechanisms of action, and the key studies in clinically isolated syndromes (CIS), relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and progressive MS. Measures of specific IFNβ-induced products, such as oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), β-2 microglobulin, or neopterin, have been useful in pharmacodynamic studies to determine the magnitude and duration of the IFNβ-response, since serum levels of IFNβ are undetectable following injections. A consistent finding of follow-up studies from the three pivotal IFNβ RRMS trials and two CIS trials is that early treatment is beneficial compared with delayed treatment. IFNβ is partially effective in clinical trial groups. Since approval 18 years ago of the first IFNβ product for RRMS, treatment effects of β at all stages of MS have become fairly clear. The development of β for MS has illustrated many of the challenges in developing treatments for MS.
Recommend this
Email your librarian or administrator to recommend adding this to your organisation's collection.