Extended Follow Up Data on the Efficacy and Safety of Cladribine for Multiple Sclerosis in a Greater London Hospital
Moneeb Nasir1, Kasun Athukoralage2, Plaxedes Rabvukwa2, Sarah Fuller2, Laura Azzopardi2, Abhijit Chaudhuri2, Miriam Mattoscio2
1The Royal London Hospital, 2Queen’s Hospital
Objective:
To assess the efficacy and safety of cladribine use in patients with active relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis over an extended follow up period in a British cohort. 
Background:

Oral cladribine has been proven effective in clinical trials of active relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (aRRMS). Few studies report real world data. This study assessed efficacy and safety of oral cladribine with an average follow-up of 41.6 months in a large neuroscience centre in London, UK.

 


Design/Methods:

Data were retrospectively collected on relapses, new MRI lesions, EDSS change, annualised relapse rates (ARR), lymphocyte counts, and infections.

 


Results:

83 patients were included in our study: 71 had cladribine years 1+2; 12 had only year 1; median follow-up 41.6 months. Of 83 patients, 7 (8.4%) had a relapse, 18 (21.7%) developed new MRI lesions, 16 (19.3%) had EDSS progression, and 16 (19.3%) had EDSS improvement. NEDA-3 was seen in 54/83 (65.1%). PIRA (progression independent of relapse activity) was seen in 13/83 (15.7%) and PIA (progression independent of any inflammatory activity) in 8/83 (9.6%). Lymphopenia was seen in 65.1% patients (grade 3 = 12/83; grade 4 = 0).


Conclusions:

The number of patients who had relapses, and rates of NEDA-3, PIRA and PIA were similar to other reported studies with similar or shorter follow-up. Our data confirms that cladribine is an effective treatment for aRRMS.

 


10.1212/WNL.0000000000211552
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