0000000000283236

AUTHOR

Laura Boffa

showing 6 related works from this author

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines do not increase the short-term risk of clinical relapses in multiple sclerosis

2021

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, immune-mediated disorder of the central nervous system. A novel coronavirus, namely SARS-CoV-2, has been recently responsible for the highly infectious disease referred as COVID-19, rapidly spreading all over the world. Many vaccines have been developed to control COVID-19 pandemic, including the mRNA vaccines Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) and Moderna (mRNA1273).1 The vaccination of people with MS (pwMS) has been recommended by several national and international MS societies. However, effectiveness and safety of anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in MS need to be confirmed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term risk of clinical relapses in pwMS in …

Pediatricsmedicine.medical_specialtyeducation.field_of_studyExpanded Disability Status ScaleCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)business.industryMultiple sclerosisCOVID-19; multiple sclerosis; neuroimmunologyPopulationCOVID-19neuroimmunologymedicine.diseasemultiple sclerosisVaccinationPsychiatry and Mental healthInfectious disease (medical specialty)multiple sclerosiPandemicmedicineSurgeryObservational studymultiple sclerosis neuroimmunology COVID-19Neurology (clinical)businesseducation
researchProduct

Characteristics and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis-related trigeminal neuralgia: An Italian multi-centre study

2019

Abstract Background The prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients is higher than in the general population and its management can be particularly challenging. Our aim is to describe the characteristics, treatment and prognostic factors of MS-related TN in a retrospective multicentre study. Methods Neurologists members of the RIREMS group (Rising Researchers in MS) enrolled MS patients with a TN diagnosis and filled out a spreadsheet comprising their clinical data. Results Population consisted of 298 patients. First-choice preventive treatments were carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine. A surgical procedure was performed in 81 (30%) patients, most commonly gamma …

Pediatricsmedicine.medical_treatmentmultiple sclerosismicrovascular decompression surgerytime factors0302 clinical medicineRadiofrequency thermocoagulationTrigeminal neuralgiaMultiple SclerosiOutcome Assessment Health Careitalymiddle agedpain030212 general & internal medicineOxcarbazepinehumanseducation.field_of_studytrigeminal neuralgiaadultDisability; Multiple Sclerosis; Pain; Trigeminal neuralgiaradiosurgeryGeneral MedicineAnalgesics Non-Narcotichealth carefollow-up studiesSettore MED/26 - NEUROLOGIAagedretrospective studiesfemaleNeurologydisability; multiple sclerosis; pain; trigeminal neuralgia; adult; aged; analgesics non-narcotic; female; follow-up studies; humans; italy; male; microvascular decompression surgery; middle aged; multiple sclerosis; radiosurgery; retrospective studies; severity of illness index; sex factors; time factors; trigeminal neuralgia; neurosurgical procedures; outcome assessment health careanalgesicsTrigeminal neuralgiamedicine.drugmedicine.medical_specialtyMultiple SclerosisPopulationPainMicrovascular decompression03 medical and health sciencesmalemedicineseverity of illness indexeducationoutcome assessmentDisabilitybusiness.industryMultiple sclerosisCarbamazepinemedicine.diseaseneurosurgical proceduresDiscontinuationsex factorsdisabilitynon-narcoticNeurology (clinical)business030217 neurology & neurosurgery
researchProduct

A cross-sectional, multicentre study of the therapeutic management of multiple sclerosis relapses in Italy.

2013

Despite the existence of therapeutic guidelines, management of multiple sclerosis relapse remains heterogeneous. Optimisation of relapse outcome demands an improved understanding of the neurologist's therapeutic attitude towards relapse management, which is the aim of this study. Neurologists from 13 multiple sclerosis centres completed a questionnaire every time they assessed multiple sclerosis relapses. The questionnaire requested a guided description of the relapse's clinical characteristics and an indication of the prescribed therapy, supported with up to 3 out of 20 suggested reasons. Over 3 months, 368 questionnaires were collected. Median percentage (%) of 21 relapses resulting in a …

MalePediatricsNeurologyCross-sectional studymulti center studyAdrenal Cortex HormoneAdrenal Cortex HormonesRecurrenceSurveys and QuestionnairesMultiple SclerosiCorticosteroidSurveys and QuestionnaireRelapseSurveyNeuroradiologyGeneral MedicineMiddle AgedManagementPsychiatry and Mental healthMethylprednisoloneItalyNeurologyPsychiatry and Mental Healthmultiple sclerosiSettore MED/26 - NeurologiaFemaleNeurosurgerymedicine.drugHumanAdultmedicine.medical_specialtyMultiple SclerosisDermatologyMethylprednisolonemedicineHumansMedical prescriptionCross-Sectional Studietherapybusiness.industryMultiple sclerosismedicine.diseaseManagement of multiple sclerosisCross-Sectional StudiesHealth Care SurveyHealth Care SurveysPhysical therapyNeurology (clinical)business2708
researchProduct

A multicentRE observational analysiS of PErsistenCe to Treatment in the new multiple sclerosis era: the RESPECT study.

2018

In this independent, multicenter, retrospective study, we investigated the short-term persistence to treatment with first-line self-injectable or oral disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. Data of patients regularly attending 21 Italian MS Centres who started a self-injectable or an oral DMT in 2015 were collected to: (1) estimate the proportion of patients discontinuing the treatment; (3) explore reasons for discontinuation; (3) identify baseline predictors of treatment discontinuation over a follow-up period of 12 months. We analyzed data of 1832 consecutive patients (1289 women, 543 men); 374 (20.4%) of them discontinued the prescrib…

MaleInjectionTime FactorsPatient Dropoutdisease-modifying therapies; multiple sclerosis; outcome measurement; persistence to treatment; quality of lifeAdministration OralSelf AdministrationSex FactorKaplan-Meier EstimateRelapsing-Remittingmultiple sclerosisImmunologic Factor0302 clinical medicineQuality of lifeRetrospective StudieRisk FactorsMedicine030212 general & internal medicineDisease-modifying therapiedisease-modifying therapiesDisease-modifying therapies Multiple sclerosis Outcome measurement Persistence to treatment Quality of life Administration Oral Adult; Female Follow-Up Studies Humans Immunologic Factors Injections Kaplan-Meier EstimateMale Multiple Sclerosis Relapsing-Remitting Patient Dropouts Prognosis Proportional Hazards Models Retrospective Studies Risk Factors Self Administration Sex Factors Time FactorsHazard ratioPrognosisNeurologyTolerabilityAdministrationSettore MED/26 - NeurologiaFemaleoutcome measurementHumanOralAdultmedicine.medical_specialtyPatient DropoutsTime FactorPrognosiFollow-Up StudieInjections03 medical and health sciencesRoute of administrationMultiple Sclerosis Relapsing-RemittingSex FactorsInternal medicineHumansImmunologic FactorsMultiple sclerosiAdverse effectProportional Hazards ModelsRetrospective Studiesbusiness.industryProportional hazards modelRisk FactorRetrospective cohort studyDiscontinuationDisease-modifying therapies; Multiple sclerosis; Outcome measurement; Persistence to treatment; Quality of life; Administration Oral; Adult; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Injections; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Multiple Sclerosis Relapsing-Remitting; Patient Dropouts; Prognosis; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Self Administration; Sex Factors; Time Factorsquality of lifeProportional Hazards Modelpersistence to treatmentNeurology (clinical)business030217 neurology & neurosurgeryFollow-Up StudiesJournal of neurology
researchProduct

Informing MS patients on treatment options: a consensus on the process of consent taking

2020

Abstract\ud In the last years, change in multiple sclerosis (MS) therapeutic scenario has highlighted the need for an improved doctor-patient communication in advance of treatment initiation in order to allow patient’s empowerment in the decision-making process.\ud Aims\ud The aims of our project were to review the strategies used by Italian MS specialists to inform patients about treatment options and to design a multicentre shared document that homogenizes the information about disease-modifying treatment (DMTs) and the procedure of taking informed consent in clinical practice.\ud Results\ud The new resource, obtained by consensus among 31 neurologists from 27 MS Centres in Italy with the…

medicine.medical_specialtyConsensusProcess (engineering)media_common.quotation_subjectDermatologyDisease modifying treatment; Informed consent; Multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis03 medical and health sciences0302 clinical medicineResource (project management)Informed consentDisease modifying treatmentmedicineHumans030212 general & internal medicineInformed consentEmpowermentmedia_commonPhysician-Patient Relationsbusiness.industryTreatment optionsGeneral MedicineClinical PracticePsychiatry and Mental healthItalyFamily medicineDisease modifying treatment; Informed consent; Multiple sclerosis; Consensus; Humans; Italy; Physician-Patient Relations; Informed Consent; Multiple SclerosisSettore MED/26 - NeurologiaNeurology (clinical)Decision processbusiness030217 neurology & neurosurgery
researchProduct

Abortion induces reactivation of inflammation in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

2018

ObjectiveTo investigate clinical and radiological outcomes of women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) undergoing abortion.MethodsAn independent, multicentre retrospective study was conducted collecting data from eight Italian MS centres. We compared the preconception and postabortion annualised relapse rate (ARR) and number of Gadolinium enhancing (Gd+) lesions, by analyses of covariance. Variables associated with postabortion clinical and MRI activity were investigated using Poisson regression models; each abortion was considered as a statistical unit.ResultsFrom 1995 to 2017, we observed 188 abortions (17 elective) in 153 women with RRMS. Abortions occurred after a mean t…

AdultMalemedicine.medical_specialtyMultiple SclerosisGadoliniumNeuroimagingDiseaseRelapsing-RemittingAbortionSettore MED/26annualised relapse rateYoung Adult03 medical and health sciencessymbols.namesakeMultiple Sclerosis Relapsing-Remitting0302 clinical medicineRecurrencemedicineHumansPoisson regressionRetrospective StudiesInflammationPregnancy030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicinebusiness.industryObstetricsMultiple sclerosisInducedAbortionAbortion InducedRetrospective cohort studymedicine.diseaseMagnetic Resonance Imaginggadolinium enhancing lesionDiscontinuationPsychiatry and Mental healthPregnancy Maintenancemultiple sclerosisymbolsSettore MED/26 - NeurologiaFemaleSurgerypregnancyNeurology (clinical)business030217 neurology & neurosurgeryabortion; annualised relapse rate; gadolinium enhancing lesion; multiple sclerosis; pregnancyJournal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
researchProduct