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Drugs
Published in: Drugs 1/2008

01-01-2008 | Review Article

Pharmacological Treatment of Early Multiple Sclerosis

Authors: Dr Olaf Stüve, Jeffrey L. Bennett, Bernhard Hemmer, Heinz Wiendl, Michael K. Racke, Amit Bar-Or, Wei Hu, Robert Zivadinov, Martin S. Weber, Scott S. Zamvil, Maria F. Pacheco, Til Menge, Hans-Peter Hartung, Bernd C. Kieseier, Elliot M. Frohman

Published in: Drugs | Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

Currently, six medications are approved by the US FDA for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). In contrast, no pharmacological agent has proved to be effective in patients with secondary-progressive MS without relapses, or in patients with primary-progressive MS. One of the principal issues concerning an optimal pharmacotherapy for relapsing forms of MS is the optimal time of treatment initiation. There is now an almost universal consensus among MS experts that many patients will benefit from early therapy. However, several formidable challenges exist in identifying individuals who will benefit versus those who will do well without intervention. How do we define early MS and what clinical and paraclinical markers may be useful in defining the timing and nature of therapy? Do patients with a benign form of MS require therapy or are they exposed unnecessarily to adverse effects of our currently available medications? How do we identify disease progression and treatment failures? This review discusses these issues and outlines the evidence for application of ‘early’ treatment in patients with relapsing forms of MS.
Footnotes
1
The use of trade names is for product identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.
 
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Metadata
Title
Pharmacological Treatment of Early Multiple Sclerosis
Authors
Dr Olaf Stüve
Jeffrey L. Bennett
Bernhard Hemmer
Heinz Wiendl
Michael K. Racke
Amit Bar-Or
Wei Hu
Robert Zivadinov
Martin S. Weber
Scott S. Zamvil
Maria F. Pacheco
Til Menge
Hans-Peter Hartung
Bernd C. Kieseier
Elliot M. Frohman
Publication date
01-01-2008
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
Drugs / Issue 1/2008
Print ISSN: 0012-6667
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1950
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200868010-00005

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