Contributions
Abstract: P1302
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - Treatment of specific symptoms
Fampridine (4-aminopyridine) is a potassium-channel blocker approved for symptomatic treatment of gait disturbances in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The drug is available in Portugal since 2014, only in hospital units, because its prescription follows strict evaluation criteria. After being eligible to fampridine, patients have a baseline evaluation followed by 2, 4, 8-week and, then, every 3 months, using timed 25-foot walk scale (T25FW) and 12-item MS Walking Scale (MSWS-12). A positive response was established as an improvement of at least 20% in T25FW, although they can continue to be treated if there is a perception of benefit in MSWS-12 analysis in the appointment with assistant neurologist.
In our MS Unit, a total number of almost 650 patients are regularly followed. Until December 2015, 167 patients were enrolled for fampridine treatment, with gait impairment and EDSS between 4,0 and 7,0. This cohort has a mean age of 51,4 ± 10,7 years and 59,3% patients are female (n=99), 102 being relapsing-remitting, 36 primary progressive and 24 secondary progressive MS (in 5 patients data about disease course was not available). The mean EDSS was 5,1. From total number of patients, 123 have at least an 8-week follow-up evaluation. Among those, 52 patients (42,3%) didn"t achieve 20% improvement level in T25FW, although they continued to be treated based on subjective clinical criteria: the mean MSWS-12 for these patients at 8 weeks was 35,70 points vs. 45,20 at baseline (p=0,022). Seventeen patients from total cohort stopped treatment due to side effects - seizures, repetitive urinary tract infections, pain, allergic reaction and others.
Fampridine was a useful treatment in this group of patients and well tolerated. In 42,3% of patients there was a mismatch between T25FW and MSWS-12 findings. These results reflect a subjective perception of benefits by patients regarding fampridine treatment in other MS domains beyond gait (cognition, fatigue, sexual, bladder and visual function).
Disclosure: João Ferreira: nothing to disclose
João de Sá: nothing to disclose
Abstract: P1302
Type: Poster
Abstract Category: Therapy - symptomatic - Treatment of specific symptoms
Fampridine (4-aminopyridine) is a potassium-channel blocker approved for symptomatic treatment of gait disturbances in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The drug is available in Portugal since 2014, only in hospital units, because its prescription follows strict evaluation criteria. After being eligible to fampridine, patients have a baseline evaluation followed by 2, 4, 8-week and, then, every 3 months, using timed 25-foot walk scale (T25FW) and 12-item MS Walking Scale (MSWS-12). A positive response was established as an improvement of at least 20% in T25FW, although they can continue to be treated if there is a perception of benefit in MSWS-12 analysis in the appointment with assistant neurologist.
In our MS Unit, a total number of almost 650 patients are regularly followed. Until December 2015, 167 patients were enrolled for fampridine treatment, with gait impairment and EDSS between 4,0 and 7,0. This cohort has a mean age of 51,4 ± 10,7 years and 59,3% patients are female (n=99), 102 being relapsing-remitting, 36 primary progressive and 24 secondary progressive MS (in 5 patients data about disease course was not available). The mean EDSS was 5,1. From total number of patients, 123 have at least an 8-week follow-up evaluation. Among those, 52 patients (42,3%) didn"t achieve 20% improvement level in T25FW, although they continued to be treated based on subjective clinical criteria: the mean MSWS-12 for these patients at 8 weeks was 35,70 points vs. 45,20 at baseline (p=0,022). Seventeen patients from total cohort stopped treatment due to side effects - seizures, repetitive urinary tract infections, pain, allergic reaction and others.
Fampridine was a useful treatment in this group of patients and well tolerated. In 42,3% of patients there was a mismatch between T25FW and MSWS-12 findings. These results reflect a subjective perception of benefits by patients regarding fampridine treatment in other MS domains beyond gait (cognition, fatigue, sexual, bladder and visual function).
Disclosure: João Ferreira: nothing to disclose
João de Sá: nothing to disclose