TABLE 1.
Characteristics of patients switching from low‐ to medium‐, and from low‐ to high‐efficacy DMTs, before and after matching.
| Prior to matching | After matching | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients switching from low‐ to medium‐efficacy DMTs | Patients switching from low‐ to high‐efficacy DMTs | SMD | Patients switching from low‐ to medium‐efficacy DMTs | Patients switching from low‐ to high‐efficacy DMTs | SMD | |
| n | 717 | 320 | 225 | 225 | ||
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 44.6 (9.75) | 42.0 (10.9) | 0.256 | 42.4 (9.9) | 42.2 (10.6) | 0.020 |
| Gender, female, number (%) | 504 (70.3) | 236 (73.8) | 0.077 | 171 (76.0) | 163 (72.4) | 0.081 |
| EDSS, median [IQR] | 2.5 [2–3.5] | 3.5 [2.5–4] | 0.627 | 3.0 [2–4] | 3.0 [2–4] | 0.097 |
| Disease duration, years, mean (SD) | 15.9 (6.8) | 11.7 (7.4) | 0.088 | 12.1 (7.1) | 11.9 (7.6) | 0.046 |
| No of previous DMTs, mean (SD), median | 1.10 (0.32), 1 | 1.07 (0.30), 1 | 0.107 | 1.14 (0.37), 1 | 1.08 (0.31), 1 | 0.194 |
| DMT prior to escalation | 0.103 | 0.063 | ||||
| Interferon beta‐1a | 401 (55.9) | 173 (54.1) | 131 (58.2) | 124 (55.1) | ||
| Peginterferon beta‐1a | 1 (0.1) | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.4) | 1 (0.4) | ||
| Interferon beta‐1b | 194 (27.1) | 99 (30.9) | 60 (26.7) | 65 (28.9) | ||
| Glatirameracetate | 121 (16.9) | 47 (14.7) | 33 (14.7) | 35 (15.6) | ||
| DMT after escalation* | 2.09 | 1.948 | ||||
| Fingolimod | 591 (82.4) | 0 (0.0) | 191 (84.9) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Dimethyl fumarate | 126 (17.6) | 0 (0.0) | 34 (15.1) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Ocrelizumab | 0 (0.0) | 37 (11.6) | 0 (0.0) | 34 (15.1) | ||
| Natalizumab | 0 (0.0) | 283 (88.4) | 0 (0.0) | 191(84.9) | ||
| Duration on prior DMT, years, mean (SD) | 3.6 (2.3) | 2.5 (2.2) | 0.516 | 2.9 (2.0) | 2.8 (2.5) | 0.072 |
| Relapse last year, yes (%) | 235 (32.8) | 269 (84.1) | 1.219 | 180 (80) | 177 (78.7) | 0.033 |
| Relapse last 2 years, yes (%) | 353 (49.2) | 292 (91.2) | 1.035 | 195 (86.7) | 198 (88.0) | 0.040 |
| No of relapses in the previous year, mean (SD) | 0.54 (0.95) | 1.74 (1.37) | 0.908 | 1.29 (1.24) | 1.41 (1.26) | 0.096 |
| All previous Relapses, mean (SD) | 2.03 (2.05) | 2.73 (2.13) | 0.332 | 2.56 (2.06) | 2.57 (2.03) | 0.009 |
| Time since last relapse, years, mean (SD) | 3.5 (3.7) | 0.8 (1.8) | 0.908 | 1.2 (2.4) | 1.0 (2.0) | 0.072 |
Note: A SMD of < 0.2 is considered a sign of adequate balance. SMDs > 0.2 are displayed in bold and italic numbers.
*DMT after escalation was not included in the matching procedure.
Abbreviations: DMT, disease modifying drug; EDSS, Expanded Disability Status Scale; SD, standard deviation; SMD, standardized mean difference.