Dynamics of Neurofilament Light Chain Elevation and Disability Worsening in MS

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity and responds proportionately to disease-modifying therapy efficacy (NEJM JW Neurol Apr 20 2022 and Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:246). To determine NfL dynamics preceding confirmed disability worsening, investigators analyzed visits with NfL measurements from 609 participants from the University of California San Francisco Expression, Proteomics, Imaging, Clinical cohort and 1290 participants from the Swiss MS Cohort. More than 87% of the patients had relapsing-remitting MS. The two cohorts had, respectively, median Expanded Disability Status Scale scores of 1.5 and 2.0, disease durations of 6 and 7 years, and follow-up durations of at least 7 years. Confir…