Switching and Escalating Therapy in Long-Lasting Multiple Sclerosis: Not Always Necessary

Table 1

Characteristics of multiple sclerosis patients efficiently treated with the first prescribed immunomodulator for >12 years.

	Patient	Gender	Age of onset; (years)	Onset symptoms	DMD	Treatment duration; (years)	Disease duration; (years)	MSSS
	1	F	34	Motor	Avonex	14	15	2.82
	2	F	39	Motor	Betaferon	16	17	3.65
	3	F	19	Brainstem	Avonex	14	33	0.01
	4	M	24	Brainstem	Betaferon	14	22	3.69
	5	F	45	Brainstem	Avonex	15	15	0.99
	6	F	22	Brainstem	Betaferon	14	16	1.42
	7	F	20	Sensory	Avonex	13	14	0.49
	8	F	45	Sensory	Betaferon	13	15	414
	9	F	40	Cerebellar	Avonex	13	18	3.37
	10	M	16	Brainstem	Betaferon	14	27	2.56
	11	M	21	Sensory	Betaferon	13	18	3.37
	12	F	26	Motor	Betaferon	14	28	1.16
	13	F	41	Motor	Betaferon	13	15	4.68
	14	F	?	Sensory	Betaferon	14	?	?
	15	M	40	Motor	Betaferon	16	18	0.26
	16	M	32	Motor	Betaferon	14	16	4.81
	17	F	35	Motor	Betaferon	15	20	5.15
	18	M	38	Optic neuritis	Betaferon	13	13	0.13
	19	F	48	Optic neuritis	Avonex	13	14	0.49
	20	F	39	Motor	Avonex	13	15	0.45
	21	F	23	Motor	Rebif 22	13	24	5.03
	22	F	40	Brainstem	Rebif 22	13	14	4.26
	23	M	27	Brainstem	Rebif 22	13	15	0.10
	24	M	17	Motor	Rebif 44	13	27	2.56
	25	F	18	Motor	Betaferon	14	32	2.23
	26	F	29	Brainstem	Avonex	15	18	3.89
Mean value; (if applicable)	—	—	31	—	—	14	18.6	2.56

EDSS: expanded disability status scale; F: female; M: male; MSSS: multiple sclerosis severity score; ?: missing data.