Stabilization of rapidly worsening multiple sclerosis for 36 months in patients treated with interferon beta plus cyclophosphamide followed by interferon beta

Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is an alkylating agent related to nitrogen mustards whose anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects have been utilised to treat selected cases of multiple sclerosis with a progressive and worsening course. To halt the progression of disease in patients refractory to disease modifying drugs CTX has been given, and several open-label studies have recently shown clinical benefits. In a previous study we demonstrated the effectiveness of a combination of IV monthly pulses of CTX and interferon β (IFN-β) in 10 patients with “rapidly transitional” form of multiple sclerosis characterised by severe and frequent attacks and rapid progression of disability. The present study reports the clinical and MRI follow-up 36 months after the discontinuation of CTX showing the maintenance of the results obtained in relapse rate (p<0.001), EDSS (p<0.001), T2 MRI total lesion load (p<0.001) and T2 lesions number (p<0.001) compared to the pre-treatment period. These encouraging findings and the absence of significant recorded side effects affirm that the association of CTX plus interferon-beta is amenable, safe and can be recommended in rapidly worsening MS patients.