The results of ocrelizumab therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis in the Voronezh region

Aim. Analysis of own results of ocrelizumab therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Voronezh region. Materials and methods. This work was a cross-sectional study based on the Voronezh Regional Clinical Hospital № 1. The study included 61 patients (34 women and 27 men) with MS with an average age of 38.5±2.6 years. All patients received ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) intravenously according to the scheme: an initial dose of 300 mg with an interval of 2 weeks, then 600 mg every 6 months. The effectiveness of therapy was assessed according to the NEDA-2 (no evidence of disease activity), NEDA-3 and NEP (no evidence of progression) criteria. Results. Ocrelizumab has shown high efficacy in stopping the progression of all considered types of MS. The NEDA-2 and NEP criteria were achieved by the patients as early as 6 months after the start of therapy. NEDA-3 criteria for highly active MS – by 12 months of therapy, for secondary progressive MS with exacerbations – by 18 months of therapy. The highest efficiency of treatment with ocrelizumab was shown in the group of patients with highly active MS, where not only the cessation of disease progression was noted, but also a significant decrease in the degree of disability according to the EDSS scale. Conclusion. It is necessary to start therapy with ocrelizumab at an earlier time: in primary progressive MS immediately after confirmation of the diagnosis, in relapsing MS – when signs of high disease activity and/or suboptimal response to the first of the drugs of disease modifying treatment appear. Timely initiation of ocrelizumab treatment may avoid severe disability in patients.