Efficacy of Glucocorticoid Therapy in Different Types of Multiple Sclerosis Progression

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease, affecting the central nervous system that causes significant disability and healthcare burden. Pulse-dosage corticosteroid therapy (GCT) remains the mainstay of treatment of exacerbations of multiple sclerosis. A total of 98 patients were examined, including 28 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (24 women and 4 men) and 70 patients with secondary progressive MS (57 women and 13 men). The number of GCT therapy courses in 98 patients at all disease stages totalled 536: 98 in RR MS (9 at debuts and 89 at RRS) and 438 in SP MS (11 at debuts, 178 at RRS and 249 at SPS). The efficacy of repeated courses of GCT therapy in patients with RR and SP MS was evaluated at different stages of the disease progression: debut in RR and SP MS, RRS in RR and SP MS and SPS in SP MS, including retrospective analysis. Important conclusions have been made about complex systemic reorganisation at different stages of relapsing-remitting and secondary-progredient types of MS, efficiency of GCT in different types of MS and stages of pathological process and about influence of GTC on the prognosis of the disease.