Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41957324›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2026

The role of age in choosing high-efficacy treatment for multiple sclerosis: an Austrian MS Database study.

Harald Hegen, Fabian Föttinger, Janette Walde, Klaus Berek, Maria Martinez-Serrat, Anna Damulina, Nik Krajnc, Markus Ponleitner, Franziska Di Pauli, Christian Enzinger and 5 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Harald HegenDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Fabian FöttingerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Janette WaldeDepartment of Statistics, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Klaus BerekDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Maria Martinez-SerratDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Anna DamulinaDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Nik KrajncDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Markus PonleitnerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Franziska Di PauliDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Christian EnzingerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Florian DeisenhammerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Thomas BergerDepartment of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Michael Khalil *Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Gabriel Bsteh *Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria. gabriel.bsteh@meduniwien.ac.at.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0825-0851
Austrian Multiple Sclerosis Database Study group

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTreatment strategy for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) is increasingly shifting toward first-line use of high-efficacy DMT (H-DMT). However, differences in DMT efficacy appear to decline with increasing age, and the benefit of first-line H-DMT at higher age currently remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the superiority of H-DMT over moderate-efficacy DMT (M-DMT) decreases with age.

methodsUsing the Austrian MS database, we included previously DMT-naïve RMS patients aged ≥ 18 years, who (i) initiated a DMT continuing it for ≥ 12 months, (ii) had MRI at baseline, and (iii) had clinical follow-up for ≥ 24 months. Cox regression analyses including age and DMT strategy (H-DMT vs. M-DMT) plus an interaction effect were employed to predict time to relapse.

resultsA total of 215 RMS patients (median age of 41 years [25

conclusionEfficacy of H-DMT as first-line treatment decreases with increasing age and approximates efficacy of M-DMT above 50 years.

Indexed as

Immunologic FactorsMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingAdultAge FactorsAustriaDatabases, FactualFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeImmunologic FactorsAgeDisease-modifying treatmentElderlyHigh efficacyMultiple sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID41957324
PMCPMC13065530

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.