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Gelibter S, Saraceno L, Pirro F, Susani EL, Protti A. As time goes by: Treatment challenges in elderly people with multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimmunol 2024; 391:578368. [PMID: 38761652 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2024.578368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
A demographic shift in multiple sclerosis (MS) is leading to an increased number of elderly people with MS (pwMS) and a rise in late-onset MS (LOMS) cases. This shift adds complexity to the treatment management of these patients, due to enhanced treatment-associated risks and the possible interplay between immunosenescence and disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). In the present paper, we performed a systematic review of the current evidence concerning the relationship between aging and treatment management in elderly pwMS. Our literature search identified 35 original studies relevant to this topic. The gathered evidence consistently indicates a diminished efficacy of DMTs in older pwMS, particularly in preventing disability accrual. Against this background, high-efficacy therapies (HETs) appear to show less benefit over moderate-low-efficacy DMTs in older patients. These data mainly derive from observational retrospective studies or meta-analyses conducted on randomized clinical trials (RCTs). RCTs, however, exclude pwMS older than 55 years, limiting our ability to acquire robust evidence regarding this patient group. Regarding treatment discontinuation in elderly pwMS with stable disease, the available data, which mainly focuses on older injectable DMTs, suggests that their suspension appears to be relatively safe in terms of disease activity. Nevertheless, the first RCT specifically targeting treatment discontinuation recently failed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of treatment discontinuation over continuation, in terms of MRI activity. On the other hand, the evidence on the impact of discontinuation on disease progression is more conflicting and less robust. Furthermore, there is an important lack of studies concerning sequestering DMTs and virtually no data on the discontinuation of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies. De-escalation strategy is gaining attention as a de-risking approach alternative to complete treatment discontinuation. It may be defined as the decision to shift from HETs to less potent DMTs in elderly pwMS who have a stable disease. This strategy could reduce treatment-related risks, while minimizing the risk of disease activity and progression potentially associated with treatment discontinuation. This approach, however, remains unexplored due to a lack of studies. Given these findings, the present scenario underlines the urgent need for more comprehensive and robust studies to develop optimized, data-driven treatment strategies for elderly pwMS and LOMS, addressing the unique challenges of MS treatment and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Gelibter
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Saraceno
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Fiammetta Pirro
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Laura Susani
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Protti
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology and Stroke Unit, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
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Knowles S, Middleton R, Cooze B, Farkas I, Leung YY, Allen K, Winslade M, Owen DRJ, Magliozzi R, Reynolds R, Neal JW, Pearson O, Nicholas R, Pickrell WO, Howell OW. Comparing the Pathology, Clinical, and Demographic Characteristics of Younger and Older-Onset Multiple Sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2024; 95:471-486. [PMID: 38061895 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Older people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a less active radiological and clinical presentation, but many still attain significant levels of disability; but what drives worsening disability in this group? METHODS We used data from the UK MS Register to characterize demographics and clinical features of late-onset multiple sclerosis (LOMS; symptom onset at ≥50 years), compared with adult-onset MS (AOMS; onset 18-49 years). We performed a pathology study of a separate MS cohort with a later onset (n = 18, mean age of onset 54 years) versus AOMS (n = 23, mean age of onset 29 years). RESULTS In the Register cohort, there were 1,608 (9.4%) with LOMS. When compared with AOMS, there was a lower proportion of women, a higher proportion of primary progressive MS, a higher level of disability at diagnosis (median MS impact scale 36.7 vs. 28.3, p < 0.001), and a higher proportion of gait-related initial symptoms. People with LOMS were less likely to receive a high efficacy disease-modifying treatment and attained substantial disability sooner. Controlling for age of death and sex, neuron density in the thalamus and pons decreased with onset-age, whereas actively demyelinating lesions and compartmentalized inflammation was greatest in AOMS. Only neuron density, and not demyelination or the extent of compartmentalized inflammation, correlated with disability outcomes in older-onset MS patients. INTERPRETATION The more progressive nature of older-onset MS is associated with significant neurodegeneration, but infrequent inflammatory demyelination. These findings have implications for the assessment and treatment of MS in older people. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:471-486.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Knowles
- UK MS Register, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Rod Middleton
- UK MS Register, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Benjamin Cooze
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Ildiko Farkas
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Kelsey Allen
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Molly Winslade
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - David R J Owen
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roberta Magliozzi
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - James W Neal
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Owen Pearson
- Neurology Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Port Talbot, UK
| | - Richard Nicholas
- UK MS Register, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - W Owen Pickrell
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Neurology Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Port Talbot, UK
| | - Owain W Howell
- Department of Neurosciences, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Segal BM. Inverse association between age and inflammatory disease activity in multiple sclerosis. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:577-578. [PMID: 37563265 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00844-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Segal
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Neuroscience Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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