Value contribution of blood-based neurofilament light chain as a biomarker in multiple sclerosis using multi-criteria decision analysis.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease that represents a leading cause of non-traumatic disability among young and middle-aged adults. MS is characterized by neurodegeneration caused by axonal injury. Current clinical and radiological markers often lack the sensitivity and specificity required to detect inflammatory activity and neurodegeneration, highlighting the need for better approaches. After neuronal injury, neurofilament light chains (NfL) are released into the cerebrospinal fluid, and eventually into blood. Thus, blood-based NfL could be used as a potential biomarker for inflammatory activity, neurodegeneration, and treatment response in MS. The objective of this study was to determine the value contribution of blood-based NfL as a biomarker in MS in Spain using the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methodology. Materials and methods: A literature review was performed, and the results were synthesized in the evidence matrix following the criteria included in the MCDA framework. The study was conducted by a multidisciplinary group of six experts. Participants were trained in MCDA and scored the evidence matrix. Results were analyzed and discussed in a group meeting through reflective MCDA discussion methodology. Results: MS was considered a severe condition as it is associated with significant disability. There are unmet needs in MS as a disease, but also in terms of biomarkers since no blood biomarker is available in clinical practice to determine disease activity, prognostic assessment, and response to treatment. The results of the present study suggest that quantification of blood-based NfL may represent a safe option to determine inflammation, neurodegeneration, and response to treatments in clinical practice, as well as to complement data to improve the sensitivity of the diagnosis. Participants considered that blood-based NfL could result in a lower use of expensive tests such as magnetic resonance imaging scans and could provide cost-savings by avoiding ineffective treatments. Lower indirect costs could also be expected due to a lower impact of disability consequences. Overall, blood-based NfL measurement is supported by high-quality evidence. Conclusion: Based on MCDA methodology and the experience of a multidisciplinary group of six stakeholders, blood-based NfL measurement might represent a high-value-option for the management of MS in Spain.

Assessing care-related regret among nurses specialized in multiple sclerosis: A psychometric analysis of a new assessment battery.

Experiences of regret associated with caring for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) can affect medical decisions. A non-interventional study was conducted to assess the dimensionality and item characteristics of a battery including the Regret Intensity Scale (RIS-10) and 15 items evaluating common situations experienced by nurses in MS care. A total of 97 nurses were included. The RIS-10 showed good internal reliability and a unidimensional structure according to Mokken analysis. All-item homogeneity coefficients exceeded 0.30, whereas scalability for the overall RIS-10 was 0.66, indicating a strong scale. This battery showed adequate psychometric properties to evaluate regret among MS nurses.

[Usefulness of electronic drug registers: Spanish register of patients treated with fingolimod (Gilenya ®)]. / Utilidad de los registros electronicos de medicamentos: registro español de pacientes tratados con fingolimod (Gilenya ®).

INTRODUCTION: This study outlines the design of an electronic register of patients with multiple sclerosis who began treatment with fingolimod in Spain. The system is intended to serve as a tool to monitor its utilisation in daily clinical practice and thus allow optimisation of the way it is used. AIMS: To establish the profile of patients with multiple sclerosis undergoing treatment with fingolimod and to determine the effectiveness and safety of this treatment in daily clinical practice. DEVELOPMENT: An observation-based, retrospective and prospective, multi-centre registry is set up, which will be active for five years. Forty neurologists working in Spain will participate in the project. Patients treated with fingolimod who fulfil the selection criteria will be included in the study. The effectiveness variables that will be evaluated are: disability measured by means of the Expanded Disability Status Scale, the rate of attacks, T1 gadolinium-enhancing lesions and new lesions in T2, and the percentage of patients who were free of activity and those who require concomitant treatments. The tolerability variables that will be evaluated are: the rate of patients who present events and adverse reactions, respectively, with a separate analysis of those presenting after the first dose or that are related to the fingolimod risk management plan and the treatment dropout rate. CONCLUSIONS: New pharmaceuticals that have only recently been commercialised require more information about their effectiveness and safety, beyond the controlled environment of a clinical trial. Initiatives involving electronic registries such as the Gilenya register are a solution that can respond to such needs by providing information in the shortest possible time about the most suitable management in order to be able to make the best and most efficient use of it.

TITLE: Utilidad de los registros electronicos de medicamentos: registro español de pacientes tratados con fingolimod (Gilenya ®).Introduccion. Se describe el diseño de un registro electronico de los pacientes con esclerosis multiple que inician tratamiento con fingolimod en España, que se plantea como una herramienta para monitorizar su manejo en la practica clinica habitual que permita optimizar su uso. Objetivos. Conocer el perfil de los pacientes con esclerosis multiple en tratamiento con fingolimod y determinar la efectividad y seguridad de este tratamiento en la practica clinica habitual. Desarrollo. Se establece un registro observacional, retrospectivo y prospectivo, multicentrico, que estara activo durante cinco años. Participaran 40 neurologos de España. Se incluiran pacientes tratados con fingolimod que cumplan los criterios de seleccion. Las variables de efectividad que se evaluaran son: la discapacidad medida mediante la escala ampliada del estado de discapacidad, la tasa de brotes, las lesiones captantes de gadolinio en secuencia T1 y las lesiones nuevas en secuencia T2, y el porcentaje de pacientes libres de actividad y aquellos que requieran tratamientos concomitantes. Las variables de seguridad que se evaluaran son: la tasa de pacientes que presenten acontecimientos y reacciones adversas, respectivamente, analizandose separadamente aquellos que se presenten tras la primera dosis o relacionados con el plan de manejo del riesgo de fingolimod, y la tasa de abandonos del tratamiento. Conclusiones. Los nuevos farmacos de reciente comercializacion requieren mayor informacion acerca de su efectividad y seguridad, mas alla del entorno controlado de un ensayo clinico. Las iniciativas de registros electronicos como el registro Gilenya son la solucion para dar respuesta a dicha necesidad, proporcionando informacion en el menor tiempo posible acerca del manejo mas adecuado para conseguir su uso mas optimo y eficiente posible.