Study of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain and MRI Findings in Human Participants
In a study with 141 participants who had asymptomatic MRI findings or clinical presentations not meeting the 2017 criteria, those classified as McDonald2024-positive had higher serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) Z-scores, reduced thalamic volume, and more lesions compared to McDonald2024-negative cases. This indicates potential indicators of disease activity.
- 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
These findings suggest that sNfL levels and MRI lesion counts may help identify disease activity in multiple sclerosis cases that don't meet earlier criteria, potentially aiding diagnosis and monitoring.
What this does not prove
The retrospective nature of this study may introduce bias in participant selection and outcomes, limiting the reliability of the findings.
Next milestone
No next milestone was established from the available source.
Study facts
- Study design
- Not reported
- Participants / samples
- 141 · total participants included in the study
- Randomised
- Not reported
- Controlled
- Not reported
- Primary endpoint met
- Not reported
- Relevant MS type
- Not reported
- Publication date
- 2026-10-29
- Evidence reviewed
- Abstract only
- Regulatory approval
- Not reported
- Research areas
- Not classified
- Biological target
- sNfL
- Pathway
- Not reported
- Population
- Participants with asymptomatic MRI findings or clinical presentations not meeting the 2017 criteria
- Size of effect
- Not reported
- Secondary endpoints
- Not reported
- MRI endpoints
- Not reported
- Biomarkers
- serum neurofilament light chain
- Safety
- Not reported
Original sources
- Primary evidenceSerum neurofilament light chain and the 2024 McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis: a retrospective cohort study. ↗DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106539
Supporting passages (12)
sample size141
sample size basisFINDINGS: A total of 141 participants were included: 95 not meeting the 2017 criteria (n = 64 asymptomatic MRI findings; n = 31 clinical presentations), stratified as McDonald2024-positive (n = 46) or McDonald2024-negative (n = 49), and 46 McDonald2017-positive cases.
publication date2026-10-29
interventionTitle: Serum neurofilament light chain and the 2024 McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis: a retrospective cohort study.
comparatorMcDonald2017-positive cases
findingsMcDonald2024-positive vs. McDonald2024-negative cases showed higher age-corrected sNfL Z-scores (median 0.28[IQR 0.76] vs. -0.12[0.82], p = 0.003/pFDR = 0.006)
biological targetssNfL
populationParticipants with asymptomatic MRI findings or clinical presentations not meeting the 2017 criteria
biomarkersSerum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and 3T brain MRI measures-including normalised brain volumes, T2 lesion load (T2LL), cortical lesion (CL) and paramagnetic rim lesion (PRL)-were compared between McDonald2024-positive and McDonald2024-negative groups, and with age/sex matched McDonald2017-positive cases according to the 2017 criteria; predictors of disease activity were assessed using penalised-Cox regression.
limitationsTitle: Serum neurofilament light chain and the 2024 McDonald criteria for multiple sclerosis: a retrospective cohort study.
peer reviewedPublication types: Journal Article
subjectsMETHODS: Participants with asymptomatic MRI findings or clinical presentations not meeting the 2017 criteria were included and stratified according to the 2024 criteria.
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