Predicting Disease Worsening on Oral Multiple Sclerosis Therapies

The Rio, modified Rio, and MAGNIMS scores each assess risk for multiple sclerosis (MS) disease worsening based on clinical and imaging measures taken 1 year after treatment initiation (NEJM JW Neurol Oct 5 2017 and Mult Scler 2018; 24:322). These scores were derived mainly from patients taking interferons for MS. Differences in points are based largely on number of relapses and new MRI T2 lesions. For example, the Rio score has a point for 3 or more new or enlarging T2 lesions, modified Rio a point for 5 or more lesions, and MAGNIMS for 4 or more lesions.

Investigators have now assessed the ability of these scores to predict outcomes between 1 and 3 years in 218 patients with relapsing MS who were treated with an approved oral disease-modify…