RESUMO
At the end of 2006 a country-based surveillance program on natalizumab therapy in multiple sclerosis was settled in Italy by a collaborative effort of the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) and a group of experts and neurologists appointed by the National Society of Neurology (SIN). After 2 years, 1,818 patients are registered in the database. The majority of cases (88.6%) failed the therapy with beta interferon or glatiramer acetate and had relapses or accumulated disability during immunomodulating treatment, while 11.4% of patients enrolled in the surveillance study were not previously treated with immunomodulating therapies and had a rapidly evolving clinical course. Almost 10% of the patients treated with natalizumab interrupted, for various different reasons, the therapy. Treatment was well tolerated and side effects were similar to those reported in the registrative studies. The majority of treated cases are stable or ameliorated.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais/efeitos adversos , Esclerose Múltipla/tratamento farmacológico , Vigilância de Produtos Comercializados , Adulto , Anticorpos Monoclonais/uso terapêutico , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados , Bases de Dados Factuais , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Itália , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Masculino , Natalizumab , Pacientes Desistentes do TratamentoRESUMO
Natalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody with a selective adhesion-molecule inhibitor effect, and a demonstrated efficacy in decreasing the frequency of relapses and progression of disability in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR MS). After the approval of FDA and EMEA in MS cases unresponsive to immunomodulating therapy or in severe MS patients also not previously treated with interferons, and considering the concern on the possible side effects, an accurate program of surveillance was organized in our country by a combined effort of AIFA, Cineca, Department of Pharmacology of University of Bologna, and a group of neurologists appointed by the National Society of Neurology (SIN). After 15 months from the authorization of natalizumab therapy in MS, as of 31 March 2008, 908 cases have been treated with natalizumab and enrolled in this pharmaco-vigilance study. The mean age is 35 years, while the duration of disease is longer and disability is higher than that reported in the registrative study. Side effects are at the moment mild and similar to those previously described. At follow-up, the majority of treated cases are stable or ameliorated. The treatment was discontinued in 6% of patients.
