Multiple Sclerosis Center, S. Andrea Hospital, University of Rome “La Sapienza”,
Via di Grottarossa 1037, 00189, Rome, Italy.
Pediatric multiple sclerosis
(MS) with manifestations before 16 years of age occurs in 0.4-10.5% of whole MS
population. The initial course of the disease is relapsing-remitting with a
relapse rate generally higher than that of adults, less than 3% have a primary
progressive form. Some recent reports have shown that Interferon beta (IFNbeta)
has a strong effect in reducing the relapse rate in children with MS and is well
tolerated. We report a 12-year-old girl with MS and a high relapse rate from the
onset. Frequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected persisting
inflammatory activity and increase of lesion burden. She continued to present
acute relapses and progression of disability in spite of a treatment with
IFNbeta-1a at different dosages and the addition of pulse IV steroid treatment.
Then, we opted for Natalizumab treatment, recently approved as a monotherapy for
patients with MS who experienced inadequate response to other disease modifying
therapies and never used till now in pediatric MS. Our patient showed a complete
response to Natalizumab with clinical and MRI suppression of disease
activity.
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