Study of Two Italian Cohorts of Adults with MS (2001-2024)
The study found that individuals diagnosed in later years had reduced relapse activity and associated disability compared to earlier cohorts. However, the overall progression of disability did not show consistent improvements, and certain metrics, like progression independent of relapse activity, did not decline at all.
- Tags
- #MSResearch
- Most relevant to
- —
- Human efficacy
- Not established from this source
- Mechanism
- Not reported
- Evidence strength
- Not graded
- Outcome
- Not reported
Why it matters
This suggests advancements in early diagnosis and treatment may be effective in reducing relapse-related issues, but do not necessarily prevent long-term disability progression, highlighting gaps in MS management.
What this does not prove
The study results indicate that while some aspects of disease activity improved, there was no corresponding decline in disability accrual unrelated to relapses. Also, factors like confirmed disability accrual showed variability and were affected in analyses involving different time frames.
Next milestone
No next milestone was established from the available source.
Study facts
- Study design
- Not reported
- Participants / samples
- Not reported
- Randomised
- Not reported
- Controlled
- Not reported
- Primary endpoint met
- Not reported
- Relevant MS type
- Not reported
- Publication date
- 2026-10-23
- Evidence reviewed
- Abstract only
- Regulatory approval
- Not reported
- Research areas
- Not classified
- Biological target
- Not reported
- Pathway
- Not reported
- Population
- Adults with MS onset in 2001-2024 across four diagnosis eras
- Size of effect
- Not reported
- Secondary endpoints
- Not reported
- MRI endpoints
- Not reported
- Biomarkers
- Not reported
- Safety
- Not reported
Original sources
- Primary evidenceDivergent Trends in Relapse Activity and Relapse-Independent Progression Over Two Decades in Multiple Sclerosis. ↗DOI: 10.1007/s40120-026-01064-1
Supporting passages (9)
sample size basisRESULTS: Among 1096 patients (228, 214, 292, and 362 across eras 1-4), first-line HET use reached 45.9% in era 4.
publication datePublication date: 2026-10-23
interventionTreatment was time-varying: untreated, low-/moderate-efficacy therapy (LET/MET), or high-efficacy therapy (HET).
primary endpointAnnualized relapse rate (ARR) was modeled by Poisson regression; confirmed disability accrual (CDA), relapse-associated worsening (RAW), and progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) by Andersen-Gill Cox models.
populationMETHODS: We retrospectively analyzed two Italian cohorts of adults with MS onset in 2001-2024 across four diagnosis eras.
findingsCONCLUSION: Later diagnosis-era cohorts had lower relapse activity and relapse-associated disability accrual, whereas overall disability accrual was less consistent and PIRA did not decline.
limitationsTitle: Divergent Trends in Relapse Activity and Relapse-Independent Progression Over Two Decades in Multiple Sclerosis.
peer reviewedPublication types: Journal Article
subjectsMETHODS: We retrospectively analyzed two Italian cohorts of adults with MS onset in 2001-2024 across four diagnosis eras.
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