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Background/Objective: Observational real‐world study to analyze the clinical effects of alemtuzumab (ALEM) and subsequent disease‐modifying therapy (DMT) usage in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Data retrieved from the Austrian MS treatment registry (AMSTR) included baseline (BL) characteristics (at ALEM start), annualized relapse rate (ARR), 6‐month confirmed progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA; ≥ 0.5‐point Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score increase), 6‐month confirmed disability improvement (CDI; ≥ 0.5‐point EDSS decrease), and safety outcomes until initiation of a subsequent DMT. The EDSS was re‐baselined at 30 days from ALEM start (BL EDSS). Results: Eighty‐seven ALEM‐treated patients (median age: 32 years, 72% female, 14% treatment‐naïve) were followed for a median of 55 (interquartile range 31–68) months. We found significant reductions in the ARR from 1.16 before ALEM to 0.15 throughout Years 1–9 (p < 0.001). Subsequent DMTs were initiated in 19 patients (22%, 74% anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibodies). At Year 5 (n = 53), more patients achieved CDI (58%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 45%–71%) than had experienced PIRA (14%, CI 7.5%–24%), and 58% remained relapse‐free. Shorter MS duration (p < 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) 0.86 (CI 0.80–0.93)) and no previous high‐efficacy treatment (p < 0.001, HR 5.16 (CI 2.66–10.0)) were the best predictors of CDI, while PIRA was associated with a higher number of previous DMTs (p = 0.04, HR 3.06, CI 1.05–8.89). We found no new safety signals. Interpretation: ALEM had long‐lasting beneficial effects on the ARR and disability improvement, especially when initiated early in the course of the disease. Only a subset of patients received subsequent DMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 'Definite Neuroborreliosis (NB)' is diagnosed with the presence of NB-specific symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and an elevated Borrelia Burgdorferi antibody index. However, some diagnostic uncertainties exist. The B-cell chemokine CXCL13 represents an emerging biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of NB because its intrathecal concentration rises prior to the Borrelia antibody index and drops rapidly after antibiotic therapy. Nevertheless, due to lacking prospective data, a definite CXCL13 cut-off for the diagnosis of NB is still pending. Objective: Definition of a CSF CXCL13 cut-off for the diagnosis of acute and untreated NB in a prospective study setting. Design and methods: This multicentre prospective study involved 6 neurological departments treating patients in the Lower Austria district (1.7 million inhabitants). The controls were patients scheduled for a spinal tap but not clinically diagnosed with NB. Demographic data, clinical characteristics and blood counts, as well as inflammatory CSF values and CSF CXCL13-concentration were analysed. Results: We recruited 440 adult patients, of whom 42 have been diagnosed as having an acute and untreated 'definite NB'. Three hundred ninety-eight patients were assigned to the control group. The median intrathecal CXCL13 concentration was 2384 pg/ml for patients with NB and 0 pg/ml for controls. The difference was highly statistically significant (P ≤.001). A CSF CXCL13 cut-off of 271 pg/ml resulted in a sensitivity of 95.2% and a specificity of 97.2% for the confirmation or exclusion of NB. Conclusion: Based on our results, we propose a CSF CXCL13 cut-off of 271 pg/ml with Euroimmun-Elisa for the diagnosis of acute and untreated NB. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, CXCL13 is a strong candidate biomarker for routine NB assessment, especially in clinically unclear cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]