Contributions
Abstract: 17
Type: Educational Session
Abstract Category: N/A
Comorbidities are common in MS and can represent a significant health burden. Comorbidities are of particular relevance today given that life expectancy has increased in the MS population, and comorbidity burden is known to increase with age. Further, individuals treated with a disease modifying drug (DMD) in the 'real-world' clinical setting can be demographically and clinically different from those enrolled and treated within the highly controlled environment of a clinical trial. Therefore, understanding the bidirectional relationships between comorbidities and the DMDs for MS in the 'real-world' clinical setting are of particular importance. Emerging work suggests that presence of specific comorbidities may alter access to DMD treatments for MS. Pre-existing comorbidity may also influence DMD adherence, persistence, tolerability, and possibly effectiveness. Once a DMD is initiated, the potential to trigger the development of new comorbid conditions may further increase the comorbidity burden in the general MS population. During the presentation I will give some examples, specifically from observational studies designed to examine the comorbidity burden related to DMD use, such as cancer, infections, stroke and cardiovascular outcomes in the general MS population treated in clinical practice.
Disclosure: Helen Tremlett is the Canada Research Chair for Neuroepidemiology and Multiple Sclerosis and in the last 3 years has received research support from: the MS Society of Canada, the MS Scientific and Research Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the UK MS Trust.
Abstract: 17
Type: Educational Session
Abstract Category: N/A
Comorbidities are common in MS and can represent a significant health burden. Comorbidities are of particular relevance today given that life expectancy has increased in the MS population, and comorbidity burden is known to increase with age. Further, individuals treated with a disease modifying drug (DMD) in the 'real-world' clinical setting can be demographically and clinically different from those enrolled and treated within the highly controlled environment of a clinical trial. Therefore, understanding the bidirectional relationships between comorbidities and the DMDs for MS in the 'real-world' clinical setting are of particular importance. Emerging work suggests that presence of specific comorbidities may alter access to DMD treatments for MS. Pre-existing comorbidity may also influence DMD adherence, persistence, tolerability, and possibly effectiveness. Once a DMD is initiated, the potential to trigger the development of new comorbid conditions may further increase the comorbidity burden in the general MS population. During the presentation I will give some examples, specifically from observational studies designed to examine the comorbidity burden related to DMD use, such as cancer, infections, stroke and cardiovascular outcomes in the general MS population treated in clinical practice.
Disclosure: Helen Tremlett is the Canada Research Chair for Neuroepidemiology and Multiple Sclerosis and in the last 3 years has received research support from: the MS Society of Canada, the MS Scientific and Research Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the UK MS Trust.