Progress in Pediatric MS Treatment: Real World Evidence with High-impact therapies

ICNC2024
Symposia: What Is New In Pediatric CNS Demyelination?

Progress in Pediatric MS Treatment: Real World Evidence with High-impact therapies
Silvia Tenembaum

Individuals with pediatric onset-MS tend to have higher relapse rates, greater accumulation of new MRI lesions, and greater long-term cognitive impairment compared with adult-onset MS. Treating children with MS is challenging given its high disease activity and lack of safety and efficacy data in this age group, for most disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The recent development of randomized controlled MS trials in youth has led to the first agents formally approved for the treatment of pediatric onset MS. We have entered a new era of knowledge and treatment in the pediatric population and ongoing pediatric trials are expected to further inform clinical management. We aimed to discuss real-world evidence of the impact of initial treatment with newer and highly effective therapies compared with the conventional approach using injectable DMTs in children with MS on the relapse rate, development of new MRI lesions, and disability progression. In addition, we will review the risks and side-effect profiles associated with the newer immunotherapies and provide practical monitoring recommendations for their use.

Other Lectures in this symposium
How could we optimize the management of children with CNS demyelinating disorders in different resource settings?
Key MRI diagnostic features of MS, MOGAD and NMOSD
Diagnosing MOGAD in pediatric patients. Updated diagnostic criteria from an International Panel.