Highlights
- •Summarized brain volume loss (BVL) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients across studies
- •BVL was similar among first-generation DMT-treated and untreated MS patients.
- •In meta-regression, no relationship was observed between BVL and lesion volume.
Abstract
Background
Multiple sclerosis has been associated with progressive brain volume loss.
Objective
We aimed to systematically summarize reported rates of brain volume loss in multiple
sclerosis and explore associations between brain volume loss and markers of disease
severity.
Methods
A systematic literature search (2003–2013) was conducted to identify studies with
≥12 months of follow-up, reported brain volume measurement algorithms, and changes in
brain volume. Meta-analysis random-effects models were applied. Associations between
brain volume change, changes in lesion volume and disease duration were examined in
pre-specified meta-regression models.
Results
We identified 38 studies. For the meta-analysis, 12 studies that reported annualized
percentage brain volume change (PBVC), specified first-generation disease-modifying
treatments (e.g., interferon-beta or glatiramer acetate) and used Structural Image
Evaluation of Normalized Atrophy algorithm were analyzed. The annualized PBVC ranged
from −1.34% to −0.46% per year. The pooled PBVC was −0.69% (95% CI = −0.87% to −0.50%) in study arms receiving first-generation disease-modifying treatments (N = 6 studies) and −0.71% (95% CI = −0.81% to −0.61%) in untreated study arms (N = 6 studies).
Conclusions
In this study, the average multiple sclerosis patient receiving first-generation disease-modifying
treatment or no disease-modifying treatment lost approximately 0.7% of brain volume/year,
well above rates associated with normal aging (0.1%–0.3% of brain volume/year).
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 13, 2015
Accepted:
July 9,
2015
Received in revised form:
June 15,
2015
Received:
December 29,
2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
