Abstract
Objectives:
Serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) has been proposed a potential biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS) based on mainly cross-sectional observations in Western population. To clarify clinical implication of sNfL, we longitudinally analysed sNfL levels at multiple time points in Korean MS patients undergoing alemtuzumab therapy.
Methods:
Between 2016 and 2018, 144 sera from 17 MS patients treated with alemtuzumab at National Cancer Centre and 35 sera from 35 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were collected for a longitudinal study with a mean 21-month follow-up. The sera were measured for sNfL levels using single molecule array. Patients were classified into two groups: evidence of disease activity (EDA) or no evidence of disease activity (NEDA).
Results:
During alemtuzumab therapy, sNfL levels in EDA patients were significantly higher than those in NEDA patients and HCs (p < 0.001). In longitudinal analysis, the sNfL levels were consistently low in NEDA patients, while it consistently increased in radiologically and/or clinically active status in EDA patients. All sNfL levels in radiologically and/or clinically active status samples were higher than those in inactive status samples.
Conclusion:
These results suggest that sNfL is a promising monitoring biomarker for personalized therapeutics in MS patients.
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