Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Neurology

Author Of 1 Presentation

Biomarkers and Bioinformatics Poster Presentation

P0175 - Towards optimized monitoring of serum neurofilament light chain in MS (ID 1329)

Abstract

Background

Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels reflect only neuro-axonal injury that took place within 3-6 months prior to the date of sampling. Therefore, the frequency of assessment of sNfL levels for monitoring of disease activity warrants further investigation.

Objectives

To determine differences in accuracy of sNfL levels to detect radiological disease activity during the preceding 6 versus 12 months of follow-up.

Methods

This observational study included 148 patients with early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) from the SET cohort. Based on brain MRI performed at 0, 6 and 12 months, we assessed the ability of categorized sNfL measured at 12 months to reflect the presence of combined unique active lesions, defined as new/enlarging lesion compared with MRI performed in the previous 6 versus 12 months or contrast-enhancing lesion (e.g., active lesions).

Results

Together, 91% (95% CI=85-98%) of patients with ≥1 active lesion during the last 6 months and 84% (95% CI=77-92%) of patients with ≥1 active lesion during the last 12 months had sNfL≥30th percentile. Among the patients with sNfL<30th percentile, 14 (33.3%) developed ≥1 active lesion during the last 12 months, but only 6 (14.3%) developed ≥1 active lesion during the last 6 months. Among patients with sNfL<30th percentile, 6 (14.3%) developed ≥2 active lesions during the last 12 months, but only 2 (4.8%) developed ≥2 active lesions during the last 6 months.

Conclusions

Low levels of sNfL better identified MS patients with the absence of recent radiological disease activity during the previous 6 than the previous 12 months. In the future, assessment of sNfL at least every 6 months may substitute the need for annual brain MRI monitoring to exclude brain lesion activity in clinically stable patients with low sNfL levels.

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