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Temporal Relationship between Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and Radiologic Disease Activity in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

  • Robert J. Fox
  • , Bruce A.C. Cree
  • , Jérôme De Sèze
  • , Ralf Gold
  • , Hans Peter Hartung
  • , Douglas Jeffery
  • , Ludwig Kappos
  • , Xavier Montalban
  • , Bianca Weinstock-Guttman
  • , Carol M. Singh
  • , Arman Altincatal
  • , Nicholas Belviso
  • , Robin L. Avila
  • , Pei Ran Ho
  • , Ray Su
  • , Robert Engle
  • , Dipen Sangurdekar
  • , Carl De Moor
  • , Elizabeth Fisher
  • , Bernd C. Kieseier
  • Richard A. Rudick
  • Cleveland Clinic Foundation
  • University of California at San Francisco
  • Hôpital civil
  • Ruhr University Bochum
  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
  • The University of Sydney
  • Palacký University Olomouc
  • Piedmont HealthCare
  • MS Center
  • University of Basel
  • Vall d'Hebron University Hospital
  • Biogen IDEC

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background and ObjectivesSerum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels correlate with multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity, but the dynamics of this correlation are unknown. We evaluated the relationship between sNfL levels and radiologic MS disease activity through monthly assessments during the 24-week natalizumab treatment interruption period in RESTORE (NCT01071083).MethodsIn the RESTORE trial, participants with relapsing forms of MS who had received natalizumab for ≥12 months were randomized to either continue or stop natalizumab and followed with MRI and blood draws every 4 weeks to week 28 and again at week 52 The sNfL was measured, and its dynamics were correlated with the development of gadolinium-enhancing (Gd+) lesions. Log-linear trend in sNfL levels were modeled longitudinally using generalized estimating equations with robust variance estimator from baseline to week 28.ResultsOf 175 patients enrolled in RESTORE, 166 had serum samples for analysis. Participants with Gd+ lesions were younger (37.7 vs 43.1, p = 0.001) and had lower Expanded Disability Status Scale scores at baseline (2.7 vs 3.4, p = 0.017) than participants without Gd+ lesions. sNfL levels increased in participants with Gd+ lesions (n = 65) compared with those without (n = 101, mean change from baseline to maximum sNfL value, 12.1 vs 3.2 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.003). As the number of Gd+ lesions increased, peak median sNfL change also increased by 1.4, 3.0, 4.3, and 19.6 pg/mL in the Gd+ lesion groups of 1 (n = 12), 2-3 (n = 18), 4-9 (n = 21), and ≥10 (n = 14) lesions, respectively. However, 46 of 65 (71%) participants with Gd+ lesions did not increase above the 95th percentile threshold of the group without Gd+ lesions. The initial increase of sNfL typically trailed the first observation of Gd+ lesions, and the peak increase in sNfL was a median [interquartile range] of 8 [0, 12] weeks after the first appearance of the Gd+ lesion.DiscussionAlthough sNfL correlated with the presence of Gd+ lesions, most participants with Gd+ lesions did not have elevations in sNfL levels. These observations have implications for the use and interpretation of sNfL as a biomarker for monitoring MS disease activity in controlled trials and clinical practice.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere209357
JournalNeurology
Volume102
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 22 2024

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