Glatiramer acetate in combination with minocycline in patients with relapsing--remitting multiple sclerosis: results of a Canadian, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at Glatiramer Acetate in the context of multiple sclerosis.

Forty participants completed the study.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 8 patients were involved.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were young adults, adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

The effect of minocycline plus glatiramer acetate was evaluated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study by determining the total number of T1 gadolinium-enhanced lesions at months 8 and 9 in patients who were starting glatiramer acetate and had at least one T1 gadolinium-enhanced lesion on screening magnetic resonance imaging.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Because people in this Glatiramer Acetate study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Blinding on both sides kept the patients and researchers unaware of who received Glatiramer Acetate.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Glatiramer Acetate could be set against what happens without it.

They were assessed at screening and months 1, 3, 6, 8 and 9.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Adjuvants, Immunologic, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Brain, Gadolinium, Glatiramer Acetate, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Minocycline.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Glatiramer Acetate in 8 patients in people with multiple sclerosis.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2009 (Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)), a journal based in England.

More context: the Glatiramer Acetate compound page, Multiple sclerosis research.