Comparison Effect of Prescription Drugs on the Occurrence and the Number of Attacks in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 MSc Student, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics AND Student Research Committee, School of Public Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

2 Professor, Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Alzahra Research Complex, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Professor, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

5 Student of Medicine, Student Research Committee, School of Medicine AND Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Treatment has a major effect on attacks in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to determine the effect of the type of used drug on occurrence and number of attacks in patients with multiple sclerosis.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1815 patients with multiple sclerosis referred to Ayatollah Kashani hospital in Isfahan, Iran, whose information was recorded in iMED software and followed at least for 34 months, were included. The effect of the type of drug on occurrence and number of attacks was determined using Negative Binomial Hurdle model by R software.Findings: The type of drug had a significant effect on the occurrence of attack; so that, compared to interferon beta-1a (muscle), interferon beta-1a (subcutaneous), fingolimod, glatiramer acetate and azathioprine were less effective, especially for relapsing-remitting types. Interferon beta-1b and glatiramer acetate had more and less effective on the occurrence of the attack in women and men, respectively. In women, fingolimod drugs, glatiramer acetate, and azathioprine had less effect on the number of attacks, respectively. The effect of age was significant on the occurrence and number of attacks in men and women, and both the recurrence and progressive clinical course.Conclusion: Younger patients had more occurrences of attacks. Interferon beta-1a (muscle) has a better performance than other drugs in reducing occurrence of attacks. In women, patients taking interferon beta-1b had fewer attacks compared to patients taking interferon beta-1a (muscle). In men, patients taking interferon beta-1a (muscle) had fewer attacks than those taking glatiramer acetate.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 35, Issue 454 - Serial Number 454
September and October 2018
Pages 1557-1563

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History

  • Receive Date: 16 September 2017
  • Revise Date: 01 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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