Effects of Dimethyl Fumarate on Brain Atrophy in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: Pooled Analysis Phase 3 DEFINE and CONFIRM Studies

ObjectiveIn the pivotal DEFINE and CONFIRM trials for dimethyl fumarate (DMF), patterns of brain volume changes were different, potentially due to low sample sizes and because MRIs were analyzed at two different reading centers. We evaluated effects of DMF on brain volume change in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) through reanalysis of pooled images from DEFINE/CONFIRM trials in one reading center. MethodsMRIs from DEFINE/CONFIRM at weeks 0, 24, 48, and 96 from patients randomized to twice-daily DMF or placebo (PBO) were reanalyzed at the Cleveland Clinic to measure brain parenchymal fraction (BPF). To account for pseudoatrophy, brain volume estimates were re-baselined to calculate changes for weeks 48-96. ResultsAcross studies, 301 and 314 patients receiving DMF and PBO, respectively, had analyzable MRIs. In weeks 0-48, mean +/- SE percentage change in BPF was -0.44 +/- 0.04 vs. -0.34 +/- 0.04% in DMF vs. PBO, respectively, whereas in weeks 48-96, mean +/- SE percentage change in BPF was -0.27 +/- 0.03 vs. -0.41 +/- 0.04% in DMF vs. PBO, respectively. The mixed-effect model for repeated measures showed similar results: in weeks 48-96, estimated change (95% confidence interval) in BPF was -0.0021 (-0.0027, -0.0016) for DMF vs. -0.0033 (-0.0039, -0.0028) for PBO (35.9% reduction; p = 0.0025). ConclusionsThe lower rate of whole brain volume loss with DMF in this pooled BPF analysis in the second year vs. PBO is consistent with its effects on relapses, disability, and MRI lesions. Brain volume changes in the first year may be explained by pseudoatrophy effects also described in other MS clinical trials.

Automated summary

Reanalysis of MRI images from the DEFINE/CONFIRM trials showed that dimethyl fumarate (DMF) reduces brain volume loss in the second year compared to placebo, consistent with its effects on relapses, disability, and MRI lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The brain volume changes in the first year may be explained by pseudoatrophy effects observed in other MS clinical trials.