Contributions
Abstract: EP1557
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Biomarkers
Background: Cerebrospinal fluid and serum/plasma neurofilaments are markers of axonal damage in various diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The dosage of blood NFL is currently being investigated, mostly in Relapsing-Remitting (RR) MS, as a marker of disease activity and of response to treatment, while data on the correlation between blood NFL and disability/disability progression in progressive MS patients is scarce.
Objective: In this retrospective study, we aimed to correlate plasma NFL (pNFL) dosages with disability, disease severity and disability progression in a group of patients with primary (PP) and secondary (SP) progressive MS patients (PP/SP).
Methods and Materials: NFL were dosed using SIMOA (Single Molecule Array, Quanterix, USA) on plasma samples which had been stored away during a previous study, of 91 untreated MS patients: 70 progressive (27 PP and 43 SP), 21 RRMS patients and 10 healthy controls (HC). Longitudinal pNFL dosages were available for nine PP/SP patients. PNFL levels were correlated with patients' clinical data.
Results: Median pNFL dosages were 12.8pg/ml (interquartile range -IQR:10-16) in PP/SP patients, 9.7pg/ml (8.3-11.2) in RR patients and 9.5pg/ml (7.3-11.9) in HC, with significant differences (post-hoc analysis of Kruskal Wallis test) of PP/SP versus RR patients (p=0.007). They correlated with EDSS (rho: 0.34, p=0.001) and MS Severity Score values (rho: 0.27, p=0.01), even after correction for age. In particular, after Bonferroni correction, they correlated with the pyramidal, sensory and ambulation EDSS Functional System scores.
There was no difference in pNFL levels between PP/SP patients with EDSS progression in the preceding year (14% of patients) or during a median follow-up of 27 months (IQR: 20-46) (41%).
In nine PP/SP patients, pNFL levels were tested at least twice, with a median interval between testing of 25 months (range: 12-39). PNFL values increased in all patients from a median of 10.8pg/ml (IQR: 9.8-13.9), to a median of 13.9 (IQR: 11.4-15.4), while EDSS either remained stable (nr=7/9) or increased (nr=2/9).
Conclusions: Plasma NFL levels showed correlation with patient disability and disease severity in PP/SP MS patients and increased over time in patients with repeated dosages. They were, however, not associated with prior or subsequent disability progression as measured by EDSS, which may have a too low sensitivity to change/disease progression in this context.
Disclosure: Ferraro D has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Guicciardi C has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
De Biasi S has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Pinti M has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Bedin R has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Camera V has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Vitetta F has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Nichelli P has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Cossarizza A has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Sola P has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Abstract: EP1557
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Pathology and pathogenesis of MS - Biomarkers
Background: Cerebrospinal fluid and serum/plasma neurofilaments are markers of axonal damage in various diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The dosage of blood NFL is currently being investigated, mostly in Relapsing-Remitting (RR) MS, as a marker of disease activity and of response to treatment, while data on the correlation between blood NFL and disability/disability progression in progressive MS patients is scarce.
Objective: In this retrospective study, we aimed to correlate plasma NFL (pNFL) dosages with disability, disease severity and disability progression in a group of patients with primary (PP) and secondary (SP) progressive MS patients (PP/SP).
Methods and Materials: NFL were dosed using SIMOA (Single Molecule Array, Quanterix, USA) on plasma samples which had been stored away during a previous study, of 91 untreated MS patients: 70 progressive (27 PP and 43 SP), 21 RRMS patients and 10 healthy controls (HC). Longitudinal pNFL dosages were available for nine PP/SP patients. PNFL levels were correlated with patients' clinical data.
Results: Median pNFL dosages were 12.8pg/ml (interquartile range -IQR:10-16) in PP/SP patients, 9.7pg/ml (8.3-11.2) in RR patients and 9.5pg/ml (7.3-11.9) in HC, with significant differences (post-hoc analysis of Kruskal Wallis test) of PP/SP versus RR patients (p=0.007). They correlated with EDSS (rho: 0.34, p=0.001) and MS Severity Score values (rho: 0.27, p=0.01), even after correction for age. In particular, after Bonferroni correction, they correlated with the pyramidal, sensory and ambulation EDSS Functional System scores.
There was no difference in pNFL levels between PP/SP patients with EDSS progression in the preceding year (14% of patients) or during a median follow-up of 27 months (IQR: 20-46) (41%).
In nine PP/SP patients, pNFL levels were tested at least twice, with a median interval between testing of 25 months (range: 12-39). PNFL values increased in all patients from a median of 10.8pg/ml (IQR: 9.8-13.9), to a median of 13.9 (IQR: 11.4-15.4), while EDSS either remained stable (nr=7/9) or increased (nr=2/9).
Conclusions: Plasma NFL levels showed correlation with patient disability and disease severity in PP/SP MS patients and increased over time in patients with repeated dosages. They were, however, not associated with prior or subsequent disability progression as measured by EDSS, which may have a too low sensitivity to change/disease progression in this context.
Disclosure: Ferraro D has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Guicciardi C has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
De Biasi S has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Pinti M has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Bedin R has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Camera V has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Vitetta F has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Nichelli P has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Cossarizza A has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.
Sola P has nothing to disclose in relation to the study.