Spasticity improvement in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis switching from interferon-β to glatiramer acetate: The Escala Study

Meca-Lallana, J.E.; Balseiro, J.J.; Lacruz, F.; Guijarro, C.; Sanchez, O.; Cano, A.; Costa-Frossard, L.; Hernández-Clares, R.; Sanchez-de la Rosa, R.; On behalf of the Escala Study Group,

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2011.11.010

« Previous Next »Journal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume 315, Issue 1 , Pages 123-128, 15 April 2012

Spasticity improvement in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis switching from interferon-β to glatiramer acetate: The Escala Study

J.E. Meca-Lallana
- Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Spain
- Corresponding author at: Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Carretera Madrid-Cartagena, S/N, 30120 El Palmar, Murcia, Spain. Tel.: +34 968369389; fax: +34 968395329.
J.J. Balseiro
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario de Getafe, Getafe, Spain
F. Lacruz
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
C. Guijarro
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
O. Sanchez
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, Talavera de la Reina, Spain
A. Cano
- Department of Neurology, Hospital de Mataró, Mataró, Spain
L. Costa-Frossard
- Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
R. Hernández-Clares
- Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Spain
R. Sanchez-de la Rosa
- Medical Department, TEVA Pharma S.L.U., Madrid, Spain
On behalf of the Escala Study Group

Received 13 July 2011; received in revised form 21 September 2011; accepted 4 November 2011. published online 02 December 2011.

Abstract

Background

A recent pilot study suggested spasticity improvement during glatiramer acetate (GA) treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who previously received interferon-β (IFN-β).

Objective

To evaluate changes in spasticity in MS patients switching from IFN-β to GA.

Methods

Observational, multicentre study in patients with relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS) and spasticity switching from IFN-β to GA. The primary endpoint comprised changes on Penn Spasm Frequency Scale (PSFS), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Adductor Tone Rating Scale (ATRS), and Global Pain Score (GPS) at months 3 and 6 after starting GA.

Results

Sixty-eight evaluable patients were included (mean age,41.7±9.5years; female,70.6%; mean time from MS diagnosis to starting GA,7.6±5.7years). Previous treatments were subcutaneous IFN-β1a in 42.6% patients, intramuscular IFN-β1a in 41.2% and IFN-β1b in 32.4%, whose mean durations were 3.5±3.3, 2.7±2.5 and 4.4±3.6years, respectively. Statistically significant reductions in mean scores on all spasticity measurements were observed from baseline to month 3 (PSFS, 1.7±0.9 vs 1.4±0.6, p<0.01; MAS, 0.7±0.5 vs 0.6±0.5, p<0.01; highest MAS score, 1.9±0.8 vs 1.7±0.8, p<0.01; ATRS, 1.6±0.6 vs 1.4±0.6, p<0.01; GPS, 29.4±22.1 vs 24.7±19.4, p<0.01) and from baseline to month 6 (PSFS, 1.7±0.9 vs 1.3±0.6, p<0.01; MAS, 0.7±0.5 vs 0.5±0.5, p<0.01; highest MAS score, 1.9±0.8 vs 1.5±0.9, p<0.01; ATRS, 1.6±0.6 vs 1.3±0.6, p<0.01; GPS, 29.4±22.1 vs 19.1±14.8, p<0.01).

Conclusion

Spasticity improvement in terms of spasm frequency, muscle tone and pain can be noted after three months and prolonged for six months of GA treatment.

Keywords: Spasticity, Glatiramer acetate, IFN-β, Switching, Multiple sclerosis, Muscle tone