Research Article

Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients

Volume: 8 Number: 3 May 30, 2025
TR EN

Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract

Aims: Relapses, a hallmark of multiple sclerosis, often lead to functional loss and a decline in quality of life. While the accelerating effect of intravenous methylprednisolone treatment on the recovery from multiple sclerosis relapses is well established, the rates of recovery can vary between relapses. This study aimed to evaluate the responses to intravenous methylprednisolone treatment administered during relapses in multiple sclerosis patients and to investigate the clinical factors and imaging characteristics influencing these responses. Methods: Patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who presented within the first 3 weeks of the onset of relapse symptoms were included in the study. Along with the patients’ demographic information, disease characteristics, Expanded Disability Status Scale scores during relapses, affected functional systems, and brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging findings were recorded. As relapse treatment, patients were administered 1000 mg/day of intravenous methylprednisolone for 5 days. Expanded Disability Status Scale scores were calculated on the 5th, 15th, and 30th days of treatment. Patients were compared in terms of disease characteristics and imaging findings based on changes in Expanded Disability Status Scale scores before and after treatment on the 30th day. Results: A total of 50 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients (13 men and 37 women, mean age 32.5±9.2 years, mean disease duration 4.7±5.3 years) were included in the study. Improvements of varying degrees were observed in half of the patients by the 5th day of treatment and in all patients by the 15th and 30th days. The mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score of the patients before treatment was 3.2±1.0, which decreased to 1.4±0.9 on the 15th day and 0.4±0.6 on the 30th day after intravenous methylprednisolone treatment. In the group with greater improvement (≥3-point reduction in Expanded Disability Status Scale) on the 30th day compared to the group with less improvement (<3-point reduction in Expanded Disability Status Scale), the following were observed: higher pre-treatment Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (p<0.001), more frequent involvement of the pyramidal system during relapses (p<0.001), a higher number of patients with cerebellar demyelinating lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (p=0.01), and more frequent infratentorial lesion locations (p=0.04). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that symptom improvement on the 30th day of intravenous methylprednisolone treatment was greater than on the 15th day, suggesting that evaluating recovery from relapses before one month may be misleading. Furthermore, it was observed that improvement was more pronounced in relapses accompanied by pyramidal symptoms, which were more severe and disabling.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

May 30, 2025

Submission Date

December 28, 2024

Acceptance Date

April 13, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 8 Number: 3

APA
Avşar Ertürk, F., Güven, B., & Güven, H. (2025). Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine, 8(3), 405-410. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1608737
AMA
1.Avşar Ertürk F, Güven B, Güven H. Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients. J Health Sci Med / JHSM. 2025;8(3):405-410. doi:10.32322/jhsm.1608737
Chicago
Avşar Ertürk, Fatma, Bülent Güven, and Hayat Güven. 2025. “Factors Affecting Response to Relapse Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis Patients”. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine 8 (3): 405-10. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1608737.
EndNote
Avşar Ertürk F, Güven B, Güven H (May 1, 2025) Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine 8 3 405–410.
IEEE
[1]F. Avşar Ertürk, B. Güven, and H. Güven, “Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients”, J Health Sci Med / JHSM, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 405–410, May 2025, doi: 10.32322/jhsm.1608737.
ISNAD
Avşar Ertürk, Fatma - Güven, Bülent - Güven, Hayat. “Factors Affecting Response to Relapse Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis Patients”. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine 8/3 (May 1, 2025): 405-410. https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1608737.
JAMA
1.Avşar Ertürk F, Güven B, Güven H. Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients. J Health Sci Med / JHSM. 2025;8:405–410.
MLA
Avşar Ertürk, Fatma, et al. “Factors Affecting Response to Relapse Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis Patients”. Journal of Health Sciences and Medicine, vol. 8, no. 3, May 2025, pp. 405-10, doi:10.32322/jhsm.1608737.
Vancouver
1.Fatma Avşar Ertürk, Bülent Güven, Hayat Güven. Factors affecting response to relapse treatment in multiple sclerosis patients. J Health Sci Med / JHSM. 2025 May 1;8(3):405-10. doi:10.32322/jhsm.1608737

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