Two-year follow-up during fingolimod treatment in a pediatric multiple sclerosis patient still active on first-line treatment

Treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) has been increasingly debated in the last few years due to limited knowledge of treatment strategies and therapeutic options. When MS develops at a young age, it usually has a very inflammatory disease course, with many relapses and disease activity as seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Therefore, treatment with immunomodulatory drugs may be beneficial in these patients. However, limited data are available to date on the treatment of pediatric MS. Although observational, prospective, and retrospective studies provide some information on its treatment course, only one clinical trial in pediatric patients has been published, the PARADIGMS trial, which showed an 82% reduction in relapse rate with fingolimod (0.5 mg/day) versus interferon beta-1a (30 mu g once weekly intramuscularly). Here, we present the case of a pediatric patient with MS (age of onset, 13 years), who was initially treated with interferon beta-1a for 2 years and subsequently switched to fingolimod, owing to clinical and radiological activity despite treatment with interferon beta-1a.

Automated summary

In recent years, the treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis has been subject to increasing debate due to limited understanding of treatment strategies and drug options. While some data suggest the potential benefits of immunomodulatory drugs, more research and clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal treatment approach for pediatric MS. The PARADIGMS trial showed promising results with fingolimod compared to interferon beta-1a in reducing relapse rates, but further studies are necessary to confirm these findings and improve treatment outcomes for young patients with MS.