The Effect of Glatiramer Acetate on Spinal Cord Volume in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Tarun Singhal; Shahamat Tauhid; Shelley Hurwitz; Mohit Neema; Rohit Bakshi

doi:10.1111/jon.12378

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The Effect of Glatiramer Acetate on Spinal Cord Volume in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The Effect of Glatiramer Acetate on Spinal Cord Volume in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

Tarun Singhal, Shahamat Tauhid, Shelley Hurwitz, Mohit Neema and Rohit Bakshi

Journal of neuroimaging, Vol.27(1), pp.33-36

01/2017

DOI: 10.1111/jon.12378

PMCID: PMC5248648

PMID: 27466943

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Abstract

Spinal cord atrophy occurs early in the multiple sclerosis (MS) disease course, is closely related to physical disability, and is a putative neuroprotective therapeutic outcome measure. This pilot study explored glatiramer acetate (GA)'s effect on spinal cord volume in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Fifteen patients receiving daily subcutaneous GA were prospectively followed. At baseline, age was 43.6 ± 7.4 years, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score was 1.4 ± 1.5, timed 25-foot walk (T25FW) was 4.7 ± 1.1 seconds, and time on GA was 2.1 ± 3.1 years. Healthy controls (n = 10) with similar age and sex to the patients were also enrolled. The spinal cord was imaged at baseline and one year later with 3T magnetic resonance imaging. An active surface method measured the C1-C7 spinal cord volume from which we calculated the normalized area. The spinal cord area showed no significant change in the MS group over one year (P = .19). Furthermore, the change in the spinal cord area did not differ significantly between the MS and control groups over one year (P = .26). In the MS group, the EDSS score (P = .44) and T25FW (P = .92) did not change significantly on-study. In this pilot study of RRMS, GA therapy was not associated with any ongoing spinal cord atrophy or any difference in the one-year rate of spinal cord area change versus healthy controls. These results paralleled the lack of clinical worsening and may reflect a treatment effect of GA. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

Adult

Atrophy

Female

Glatiramer Acetate - administration & dosage

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - diagnostic imaging

Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - drug therapy

Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting - pathology

Neuroprotective Agents - administration & dosage

Organ Size

Pilot Projects

Spinal Cord - diagnostic imaging

Spinal Cord - drug effects

Spinal Cord - pathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: The Effect of Glatiramer Acetate on Spinal Cord Volume in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Creators: Tarun Singhal - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Shahamat Tauhid - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Shelley Hurwitz - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Mohit Neema - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Rohit Bakshi - Brigham and Women's Hospital
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of neuroimaging, Vol.27(1), pp.33-36
DOI: 10.1111/jon.12378
PMID: 27466943
PMCID: PMC5248648
ISSN: 1051-2284
eISSN: 1552-6569
Language: English
Date published: 01/2017
Academic Unit: Psychiatry
Record Identifier: 9984627241002771

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