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Subcutaneous interferon beta-1a has a positive effect on cognitive performance in mildly disabled patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis: 2-year results from the COGIMUS study

Multiple Sclerosis Centre Sicilia Region, First Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Catania, Via Santa Sofia 78, 95123 Catania, Italy patti{at}unict.it

Maria Pia Amato

Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Stefano Bastianello

Neurological Institute, IRCCS Fondazione C. Mondino, Pavia, Italy

Luisa Caniatti

U.O. Neurology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Azienda Universita-Ospedale, S. Anna, Ferrara, Italy

Elisabetta Di Monte

Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

Fausto Lijoi

Opera CRO srl, Genoa, Italy

Benedetta Goretti

Department of Neurology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Silvia Messina

Multiple Sclerosis Centre Sicilia Region, First Neurology Clinic, University Hospital Catania, Catania, Italy

Orietta Picconi

Public Health Agency of Regione Lazio, Rome, Italy

Maria Rosalia Tola

U.O. Neurology, Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Azienda Universita-Ospedale, S. Anna, Ferrara, Italy

Maria Trojano

Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

COGIMUS Study Group

The effect of interferon (IFN) beta-1a (44 and 22 µg subcutaneously [sc] three times weekly [tiw]) on cognition in mildly disabled patients with relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis (McDonald criteria; Expanded Disability Status Scale 4.0) was assessed by validated neuropsychological testing at baseline and at regular intervals for up to 2 years in this ongoing open-label, 3-year study. Year-2 data were available for 356 patients (22 µg, n = 175; 44 µg, n = 181). The proportion of patients with impaired cognitive function was stable during the study: 21.4% at baseline and 21.6% at 2 years. At 2 years, the proportion of patients with 3 impaired cognitive tests was significantly lower in the 44 µg treatment group (17.0%) compared with the 22 µg group (26.5%; p = 0.034), although there was already a trend towards a higher proportion of patients with cognitive impairment in the 22 µg group at baseline. Factors associated with impairment in three cognitive tests after 2 years were age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00—1.09), verbal intelligence quotient (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92—0.98), and having three impaired cognitive tests at baseline (OR: 11.60; 95% CI: 5.94—22.64). These interim results show that IFN beta-1a sc tiw may have beneficial effects on cognitive function as early as 2 years after treatment initiation, but the final 3-year data of the study are required to confirm these results.

Key Words: cognitive function • cognitive impairment • interferon beta-1a • relapsing—remitting multiple sclerosis

Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, Vol. 2, No. 2, 67-77 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1756285608101379


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