Introduction : Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is an oral therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). DMF is included in the Swedish post-market surveillance study “Immunomodulation and ...Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology” (IMSE).
Objectives/Aims : To assess the effectiveness and safety of DMF with focus on patients treated at least 72 months.
Methods : Descriptive data of Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions Test (EQ-5D), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious AEs (SAEs) is obtained from the nationwide Swedish Neuro Registry (NeuroReg). Effectiveness measures were assessed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and drug survival using the Kaplan-Meier curve.
Results : 2565 DMF-treated patients were included between March 2014 and March 2022 with an overall drug survival rate of 38.7% and a mean treatment duration of 37 months. The main reasons for discontinuation were AEs (47%) and lack of effect (30%). 199 AEs were reported of which 63 were serious. For both serious and non-serious AEs reported, gastrointestinal disorders were the most common (19% and 27%, respectively).509 patients had continuous treatment for at least 72 months. This cohort had a mean age of 42 years and a mean treatment duration of 84 months. The majority (51%) had switched from interferon or glatiramer acetate and 24% were treatment naïve.Significant improvements in mean values at 72 months of treatment compared to baseline were noted for MSSS, MSIS-29 Psychological, and EQ-5D (p<0.05). All other tests remained stable after 6 years of treatment. Number of relapses per 1000 patient years were improved from 199.6 before DMF treatment start to 23.0 during treatment with DMF.49 patients (10%) have discontinued DMF treatment in the 72 month cohort with a mean treatment duration of 84 months (range 70-97 months). The main reasons for discontinuation were other reasons (33%), lack of effect (29%), stable condition (14%), and AEs (12%).
Conclusions : DMF demonstrates partly clinical improvements in patients treated 72 months. However; due to the high discontinuation rate there is an unavoidable selection bias. Continued follow up is needed to assess the effectiveness and safety of DMF over longer time periods in a real world setting.
Introduction : Cladribine is a deoxyadenosine analogue prodrug that selectively induces immune reconstitution by targeting B- and T-lymphocytes. Cladribine tablets (CladT) are administered in two ...courses, 12 months apart, for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). CladT are included in the Swedish post-market surveillance study “Immunomodulation and Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology”(IMSE).
Objectives : To assess the safety and effectiveness of CladT with focus on patients treated at least 12 months.
Methods : Data of Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions Test (EQ-5D), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), relapses and Adverse Events (AEs) is obtained from the nationwide Swedish Neuro Registry (NeuroReg). Effectiveness measures were assessed using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and relapse rates were tested using paired samples T-test.
Results : 208 patients were included in the IMSE 10 study since the Swedish market launch in April 2018 with an overall drug survival rate of 94.2%. 12 patients discontinued treatment, of which 1 later restarted. The most common reason for discontinuation was lack of effect (83%). 21 AEs were reported of which 7 were serious. The most common AE reported were infection and infestation (8 reports).139 patients were treated for at least 12 months. 29 % of the patients was treated with CladT as their first MS drug. 19 % were treated with natalizumab and 10 % with dimethyl fumarate prior to CladT. The number of relapses decreased significantly from 249 per 1,000 patient years before treatment start to 73 during treatment. 12 patients in this cohort have experienced a relapse during treatment. Significant improvements in mean values at 12 months of treatment compared to baseline were noted for MSSS (p=0.005) and MSIS29 Psychological(p=0.033). MSIS-29 Physical showed a tendency for improvement while all other tests remained stable after one year of treatment.Lymphocyte levels decreased from a mean of 1.9 x 109/L at treat-ment start (n=80) to 1.1 x 109/L after 12 months of treatment (n=71).
Conclusions : CladT treatment demonstrates clinical stability in patients treated 12 months. However, continued follow-up is needed to assess the effectiveness and safety of CladT over a longer time to assess if these results sustain after the final treatment course has been administered.
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has a heterogeneous clinical course. The recently proposed Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (MIPI) predicted the survival of MCL better than the ...International Prognostic Index in MCL patients treated with conventional chemotherapy, but its validity in MCL treated with more intensive immunochemotherapy has been questioned. Applied here to 158 patients of the Nordic MCL2 trial of first-line intensive immunochemotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation, the MIPI and the simplified MIPI (s-MIPI) predicted survival significantly better (P < .001) than the International Prognostic Index (P > .004). Both the MIPI and the s-MIPI mainly identified 2 risk groups, low and intermediate versus high risk, with the more easily applied s-MIPI being just as powerful as the MIPI. The MIPIB (biological), incorporating Ki-67 expression, identified almost half of the patients as high risk. We suggest that also a simplified MIPIB is feasible. This trial was registered at www.isrctn.org as #ISRCTN 87866680.
Aerosol–cloud interactions are the largest source of uncertainty in the radiative forcing of the global climate. A phenomenon not included in the estimates of the total net forcing is the potential ...increase in upper tropospheric humidity (UTH) by anthropogenic aerosols via changes in the microphysics of deep convection. Using remote sensing data over the ocean east of China in summer, we show that increased aerosol loads are associated with an UTH increase of 2.2 ± 1.5 in units of relative humidity. We show that humidification of aerosols or other meteorological covariation is very unlikely to be the cause of this result, indicating relevance for the global climate. In tropical moist air such an UTH increase leads to a regional radiative effect of 0.5 ± 0.4 W m−2. We conclude that the effect of aerosols on UTH should be included in future studies of anthropogenic climate change and climate sensitivity.
Background : Alemtuzumab (ALZ) is a modulatory drug for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Post-marketing surveillance is important to assess the long-term safety and ...effectiveness in a real-world setting where ALZ was included into the Swedish post-market surveillance study “Immunomodulation and Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology Study 3” (IMSE 3) upon launch in Sweden (March 2014).
Objective : To follow up the effectiveness and long-term safety of ALZ in a real-world setting.
Methods : Swedish MS patients are registered in the nationwide Swedish Neuro Registry (NeuroReg).
IMSE 3 includes patients starting ALZ treatment with annual clinical measures obtained from NeuroReg; Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), European Quality of Life – 5 Dimension Test (EQ-5D) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess changes in effectiveness.
Results : 118 patients (59% female; 95% RRMS) have been included in IMSE 3 between March 2014 and April 2021. Mean age at treatment start was 34 years. At cut-off date 85 patients had been treated with ALZ with at least 48 months of follow-up. Mean values at baseline compared to 48 months showed significant improvements for MSSS and SDMT while EQ-5D, EDSS, MSIS-29 and VAS scores showed tendencies of improvement.
The largest proportion of the entire cohort switched from natalizumab (39%) or were treatment naïve (14%) prior ALZ. The number of relapses per 1,000 patient years decreased from 441 before ALZ initiation to 84 during ALZ treatment (16% missing data). 36 adverse events (AEs) were reported to the Swedish Medical Products Agency. 23 were classified as serious and the most common AEs categories were infections and infestations and blood and lymphatic system disorders (23% respectively). For non-serious events endocrine disorders (43%) was the most common category. Two patients died during ALZ treatment, one of which was associated to ALZ treatment, and died in association with the first ALZ treatment cycle due to fulminant viral hepatitis.
Conclusions : Patients treated with ALZ for at least 48 months improved or remained stable across all effectiveness measures. Continued follow-up is needed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety of ALZ.
Background : Teriflunomide (TFM) is an oral therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) included in the Swedish post-market surveillance study “Immunomodulation and Multiple Sclerosis ...Epidemiology” (IMSE).
Objectives : To assess the safety and effectiveness of TFM with focus on patients treated at least 48 months.
Methods : Descriptive data of Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions Test (EQ-5D), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Adverse Events (AEs) is obtained from the nationwide Swedish Neuro Registry (NeuroReg). Effectiveness measures were assessed using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and drug survival using Kaplan-Meier curve.
Results : 645 patients were included in the IMSE 4 study from March 2014 to April 2021, 70% were female, mean age at treatment start was 46 years and mean treatment duration was 31 months. The most common prior treatment was interferon beta or glatiramer acetate (34%) and 17% were treatment naïve. One- two- and three- year drug survival rates were 74%, 59% and 49% respectively. 340 patients (53%) have discontinued treatment with main reasons for discontinuation being AEs (41%) and lack of effect (40%). Of 68 reported AEs, 20 were serious. For both serious and non-serious AEs, skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders were the most common (25% and 21%, respectively).
At the cut-off date, 168 patients had been treated for at least 48 months. This cohort had a mean age of 48 years at treatment start and a mean treatment duration of 65 months. The majority (64%) had switched from interferon or glatiramer acetate and 12% were treatment naïve.
Significant improvement in mean values at 48 months of treatment compared to baseline were noted for SDMT in the 48-month cohort (49.1 ± 8.2 to 50.5 ± 10.0, n=35, p=0.049) while a minor worsening were noted for EDSS (2.2 ± 1.7 to 2.6 ± 2.0, n=37, p=0.017). All other tests remained stable after 4 years of treatment.
Conclusions : TMF demonstrates partly clinical improvements and stability in patients treated ⩾ 48 months but with a minor negative outcome of the EDSS scores in this cohort. A longer follow-up period is needed to assess the real-world effectiveness and safety of TMF.
Background : Cladribine is a deoxyadenosine analogue prodrug that selectively induces immune reconstitution by targeting B- and T-lymphocytes. Cladribine tablets (CladT) are administered in two ...courses, 12 months apart, for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). CladT are included in the Swedish post-market surveillance study “Immunomodulation and Multiple Sclerosis Epidemiology” (IMSE).
Objective : To assess the safety and effectiveness of CladT with focus on patients treated at least 12 months.
Methods : Descriptive data of Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Multiple Sclerosis Severity Scale (MSSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29), European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions Test (EQ-5D), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), relapses and Adverse Events (AEs) is obtained from the nationwide Swedish Neuro Registry (NeuroReg). Effectiveness measures were assessed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and relapse rates were tested using the paired samples T-test.
Results : 140 patients were included in the IMSE 10 study since the Swedish market launch in April 2018 with a one year drug survival rate of 96.5%. 6 patients discontinued treatment, of which 2 later restarted. 18 AEs were reported of which 5 were serious. The most common AE reported were infection and infestation (8 reports). 22% of the patients was treated with CladT as their first MS drug. 18% were treated with natalizumab and 11% with dimethyl fumarate prior to CladT.
83 patients were treated for at least 12 months. Relapse data was available for 47 of 83 patients in the 12-month cohort. The number of relapses decreased significantly from 249.6 per 1,000 patient years before treatment start to 53.5 during treatment. Only 5 patients in this cohort experienced a relapse during treatment.Significant improvements in mean values at 12 months of treatment compared to baseline were noted for MSSS (p=0.007) and VAS (p=0.029) for the 12-month cohort. All other tests remained stable but significantly unchanged after one year of treatment.Lymphocyte levels decreased from a mean of 1.8 x 109/L at treatment start (n=39) to 1.1 x 109/L after 12 months of treatment (n=37).
Conclusions : CladT treatment demonstrates clinical stability in patients treated ⩾ 12 months. However, continued follow-up is needed to assess the effectiveness and safety of CladT over a longer time to assess if these results sustain after the final treatment course has been administered.
The authors consider whether differences in stage at diagnosis could explain the variation in lung cancer survival between six developed countries in 2004-2007.
Routinely collected population-based ...data were obtained on all adults (15-99 years) diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004-2007 and registered in regional and national cancer registries in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Stage data for 57 352 patients were consolidated from various classification systems. Flexible parametric hazard models on the log cumulative scale were used to estimate net survival at 1 year and the excess hazard up to 18 months after diagnosis.
Age-standardised 1-year net survival from non-small cell lung cancer ranged from 30% (UK) to 46% (Sweden). Patients in the UK and Denmark had lower survival than elsewhere, partly because of a more adverse stage distribution. However, there were also wide international differences in stage-specific survival. Net survival from TNM stage I non-small cell lung cancer was 16% lower in the UK than in Sweden, and for TNM stage IV disease survival was 10% lower. Similar patterns were found for small cell lung cancer.
There are comparability issues when using population-based data but, even given these constraints, this study shows that, while differences in stage at diagnosis explain some of the international variation in overall lung cancer survival, wide disparities in stage-specific survival exist, suggesting that other factors are also important such as differences in treatment. Stage should be included in international cancer survival studies and the comparability of population-based data should be improved.
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