Abstract: P1245
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Risk management for disease modifying treatments
Introduction: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare, severe complication of several multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies. Early diagnosis of PML, especially recognition of MRI features of PML before the appearance of clinical symptoms (asymptomatic PML), is associated with improved patient outcomes. However, asymptomatic PML diagnosis rates in some regions remain very low. The Department of Radiology at VU Medical Centre, supported by Biogen, has developed an educational website to assist physicians treating and monitoring MS patients to recognize early PML (https://MS‑PML.org). Launched in November 2013, and designed for radiologists and neurologists, the website has 2 components: a 'textbook' section of current information on PML research, and an 'interactive training' section with clinical history details and MRI image panels to assist learning on early radiological features of PML.
Objectives: To descriptively report, compare, and interpret website usage between December 2014 and December 2017.
Methods: Based on user registration data at https://MS-PML.org, the number of unique site visitors (based on IP address), their geographical region, and the timing of site visits were collected and assessed. If the time difference between 2 visits from the same IP address is >30 minutes (the preconfigured 'visit timeout' value), the second visit was considered a new visit and added to totals for the site and the IP address. Accurate new visit scoring was limited by HTTP protocol and log rotations.
Results: As of December 2014, there were 98 unique registered users: 76 (78%) from Europe, 7 (7%) from the US/Canada, 10 (10%) from Asia, and 5 (5%) from other regions. As of December 2017, the total number of registered users had increased 349% to 439 users: 340 (75%) from Europe, 37 (8%) from the US/Canada, 34 (7%) from Asia, and 28 (6%) from other regions. From December 2014 to December 2017, mean monthly site visits increased from 158 to 1632 (946% increase).
Conclusions: Analysis of usage data shows a large increase in the number of registered users and monthly site visits. This might be due to increased physician use of e-learning resources or to increased use of MRI in MS diagnosis and safety monitoring, prompting clinicians to seek specialized MRI educational resources. There remains a need to improve asymptomatic PML diagnosis rates world-wide, and the educational resources provided by this website may help meet this need.
Disclosure: Supported by Biogen.
FB: personal compensation and compensation for consulting activities from Apitope, Bayer-Schering, Biogen, GeNeuro, Genzyme-Sanofi, IXICO, Jansen Research, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Teva.
AJ, KC, LM: employees of Biogen and may hold Biogen stock and/or stock options.
DL: personal compensation for consulting activities from Vertex; institutional support from Genzyme, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Perceptives, Roche, and Sanofi-Aventis, advisory boards for Adelphi Group, Celgene, Novartis, Opexa Therapeutics, and Roche; non-restricted education grants from Academy of Health Care Learning, Biogen-Idec, Consortium of MS Centers, Novartis, Sanofi-Genzyme, and Teva.
AR: honoraria from Bayer, Biogen, Sanofi-Genzyme, Bracco, Merck-Serono, Novartis, and Roche, and Teva; scientific advisory boards for Novartis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Icometrix, SyntheticMR, and OLEA Medical.
PV: honoraria and consulting fees from Biogen, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Teva, Merck, Roche, Servier, Celgene, Medday and Almirall; research support from Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi-Genzyme.
JH, VM: nothing to declare.
MW: speaker and consultancy honoraria from Biogen, Celgene, Genilac, IXICO, Janssen, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi-Genzyme.
Abstract: P1245
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Risk management for disease modifying treatments
Introduction: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a rare, severe complication of several multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies. Early diagnosis of PML, especially recognition of MRI features of PML before the appearance of clinical symptoms (asymptomatic PML), is associated with improved patient outcomes. However, asymptomatic PML diagnosis rates in some regions remain very low. The Department of Radiology at VU Medical Centre, supported by Biogen, has developed an educational website to assist physicians treating and monitoring MS patients to recognize early PML (https://MS‑PML.org). Launched in November 2013, and designed for radiologists and neurologists, the website has 2 components: a 'textbook' section of current information on PML research, and an 'interactive training' section with clinical history details and MRI image panels to assist learning on early radiological features of PML.
Objectives: To descriptively report, compare, and interpret website usage between December 2014 and December 2017.
Methods: Based on user registration data at https://MS-PML.org, the number of unique site visitors (based on IP address), their geographical region, and the timing of site visits were collected and assessed. If the time difference between 2 visits from the same IP address is >30 minutes (the preconfigured 'visit timeout' value), the second visit was considered a new visit and added to totals for the site and the IP address. Accurate new visit scoring was limited by HTTP protocol and log rotations.
Results: As of December 2014, there were 98 unique registered users: 76 (78%) from Europe, 7 (7%) from the US/Canada, 10 (10%) from Asia, and 5 (5%) from other regions. As of December 2017, the total number of registered users had increased 349% to 439 users: 340 (75%) from Europe, 37 (8%) from the US/Canada, 34 (7%) from Asia, and 28 (6%) from other regions. From December 2014 to December 2017, mean monthly site visits increased from 158 to 1632 (946% increase).
Conclusions: Analysis of usage data shows a large increase in the number of registered users and monthly site visits. This might be due to increased physician use of e-learning resources or to increased use of MRI in MS diagnosis and safety monitoring, prompting clinicians to seek specialized MRI educational resources. There remains a need to improve asymptomatic PML diagnosis rates world-wide, and the educational resources provided by this website may help meet this need.
Disclosure: Supported by Biogen.
FB: personal compensation and compensation for consulting activities from Apitope, Bayer-Schering, Biogen, GeNeuro, Genzyme-Sanofi, IXICO, Jansen Research, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Teva.
AJ, KC, LM: employees of Biogen and may hold Biogen stock and/or stock options.
DL: personal compensation for consulting activities from Vertex; institutional support from Genzyme, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Perceptives, Roche, and Sanofi-Aventis, advisory boards for Adelphi Group, Celgene, Novartis, Opexa Therapeutics, and Roche; non-restricted education grants from Academy of Health Care Learning, Biogen-Idec, Consortium of MS Centers, Novartis, Sanofi-Genzyme, and Teva.
AR: honoraria from Bayer, Biogen, Sanofi-Genzyme, Bracco, Merck-Serono, Novartis, and Roche, and Teva; scientific advisory boards for Novartis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Icometrix, SyntheticMR, and OLEA Medical.
PV: honoraria and consulting fees from Biogen, Sanofi-Genzyme, Novartis, Teva, Merck, Roche, Servier, Celgene, Medday and Almirall; research support from Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi-Genzyme.
JH, VM: nothing to declare.
MW: speaker and consultancy honoraria from Biogen, Celgene, Genilac, IXICO, Janssen, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi-Genzyme.