Add-On Albuterol for Multiple Sclerosis

Albuterol, an inhaled β2-agonist, has been reported to decrease levels of proinflammatory cytokines, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this government-funded phase II trial, researchers enrolled 44 patients with relapsing-remitting MS who were starting glatiramer acetate and randomized them to receive add-on albuterol or placebo. The primary endpoints were MS Functional Composite (MSFC) score over a 2-year period and levels of interleukin (IL)-13 and interferon-γ during the first 12 months.

The albuterol add-on group performed better than the glatiramer-plus-placebo group on the MSFC at 6 and 12 months, but not at 18 or 24 months. Immunologic assays demonstrated that, compared with glatiramer alone, comb…