P.024 The influence of disease modifying therapies on short-term disease progression in a cohort of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients in Newfoundland and Labrador

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated demyelinating disease of the central nervous system accompanied by chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration. An unmet clinical need in the management of MS is how to select an initial disease modifying therapy (DMT). Real-world evidence suggests that early aggressive control with high-efficacy medications results in better long-term prognosis. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Memorial University using Relapsing Remitting MS (RRMS) patients enrolled in the HITMS study. Analysis included study participants aged 18+ with RRMS and three years of clinical visits. Disability progression was measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and defined as a change of ≥ 1.0. Study subjects were categorized according to DMT at their initial visit. Results: In this cohort, 87 participants met the inclusion criteria; 67 were stable and 20 had disability progression. There was no significant difference in disability progression based on DMT regimen, and age, sex, and disease duration did not affect disability progression. Conclusions: Despite evidence that all RRMS patients go on a DMT, our cohort demonstrated a significant proportion remain DMT naive. Furthermore, the selection of DMT in this cohort appears to be appropriate, as there were no obvious differences in disability progression regardless of DMT.