[Source: National MS Society]

Researchers from the Network of Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence established by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have published new findings on MS in children and adolescents. The Society has been funding the sites for the past five years, as part of its Promise 2010 campaign which is winding down. The centers are leveraging collaborations made possible by the funds into further research efforts.

When one therapy fails in kids with MS: There is no disease-modifying therapy specifically approved for children who have MS, so gathering and sharing treatment experience is an important task of the centers. E. Ann Yeh, MD (State University of New York, Buffalo) and colleagues at all six centers reviewed the records of 258 children with MS who had been treated with disease-modifying therapies. Of these children, 144 (58%) stayed on their first therapy; 65 (25.2%) were switched to one other therapy, 29 (11.2%) were switched twice, and 20 (7.8%) were switched three times. Most switched to other first-line disease-modifying drugs such as interferons or glatiramer acetate. In 55 children (21.3%), however, treatments included corticosteroids, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, natalizumab, or daclizumab. The investigators noted that Hispanic children were significantly more likely to experience “breakthrough” disease activity while receiving first-line disease-modifying therapies.

Read the Rest of this Article on the National MS Society Website