For the trial, researchers enrolled 142 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 years who had experienced their first symptoms of MS within the previous 180 days. Participants received either a placebo or minocycline, which reduces inflammation of myelin — an essential component for proper nervous system function.
Researchers found patients in the placebo group displayed a 27.6 percent higher risk of experiencing a progression of their MS than the minocycline group.
“Based on these findings, neurologists will be able to prescribe minocycline for people experiencing their first symptoms of demyelination if an MRI suggests the cause will likely prove to be MS,” said lead author Luanne Metz, MD, professor in the department of clinical neurosciences at the Cumming School of Medicine in Calgary, Canada. “Patients will now have yet another treatment option, one that does not require injections, monitoring lab work, or special authorization by their insurance company; provided they have adequate coverage to begin with. These processes can delay treatment initiation for three to four months whereas minocycline can be started immediately.”
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