Intermittent cyclophosphamide pulse therapy in progressive multiple sclerosis: final report of the Northeast Cooperative Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Group

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at ACTH (Corticotropin) in the context of multiple sclerosis.

The Northeast Cooperative Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Group was formed to determine whether outpatient pulse cyclophosphamide therapy could affect reprogression and whether there were differences between a modified induction regimen and the previously published regimen.

Why It Was Studied

Previous studies reported that a 2- to 3-week course of IV cyclophosphamide plus adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) induction can temporarily halt progressive MS for a period of 12 months in the majority of patients treated, after which reprogression occurs.

There were blinded evaluations performed every 6 months.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 003, patients were involved.

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

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized study.

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

The methods mention a period of 12 months.

What Was Measured

There were blinded evaluations performed every 6 months.

The subject headings attached to it are Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Cyclophosphamide, Multiple Sclerosis and Neurologic Examination.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of ACTH (Corticotropin) in 003, patients in people with multiple sclerosis over 12 months.

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 1993 (Neurology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the ACTH (Corticotropin) compound page, Multiple sclerosis research.