Table 1.
Patient characteristics.
| Fingolimod (n = 22) | Natalizumab (n = 11) | Interferon (n = 7) | Overall (n = 41*) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex: male/female | 8/14 | 4/7 | 3/4 | 15/26 |
| Age in years: median (range) | 35 (21–60) | 35 (23–51) | 29 (20–48) | 35 (20–60) |
| Time since diagnosis in months: median (range) | 68 (10–300)# | 28 (1–276) | 24 (1–48) | 42 (1–300) |
| EDSS | ||||
| Baseline: median (range) | 2.5 (1–6) n = 22 | 2.5 (1–4) n = 11 | 1.0 (1–1.5)# n = 7 | 2.5 (1–6) n = 41 |
| 6-month follow up: median (range) | 2.5 (1–6) n = 20 | 2.5 (1.5–3.5) n = 11 | 1.5 (0–1.5)# n = 5 | 2.5 (0–6) n = 37 |
| 12-month follow up: median (range) | 2.5 (2–6) n = 19 | 2.5 (1–3.5) n = 10 | 1.5 (1–2.5)## n = 5 | 2.5 (1–6) n = 35 |
| Visual function score within the EDSS | ||||
| Baseline: median (range) | 0.0 (0–4) n = 22 | 0.0 (0–2) n = 10 | 0.0 (0–1) n = 6 | 0.0 (0–4) n = 39 |
| 12-month follow-up: median (range) | 0.0 (0–4) n = 21 | 0.0 (0–2) n = 10 | 1.0 (0–1) n = 6 | 0.0 (0–4) n = 38 |
| Functional deficit of the dominant arm (paresis, ataxia) | ||||
| Baseline, number of patients | 8, n = 22 | 1, n = 11 | 0, n = 11 | 9, n = 41 |
| 12-month follow up, number of patients | 10, n = 22 | 4, n = 10 | 0, n = 6 | 14, n = 39 |
| Medication within 6 months prior to study | n = 22 | n = 10 | n = 6 | n = 39 |
| None | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| Interferon beta 1a | 10 | 3 | 1 | 14 |
| Interferon beta 1b | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| Natalizumab | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Glatiramer acetate | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Fingolimod | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Azathioprine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
*
Including the patient treated with glatiramer acetate; #group differed significantly (p < 0.05) from the other two groups; ##group differed significantly from the fingolimod, but not the natalizumab group; EDSS, Extended Disability Status Scale. In some cases, n differed from the group n given in the first line due to missing data. Therefore, those changed n are indicated in the respective table cells.