Disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis in Slovenia: analysis of 20 years of treatment

RAD 552. Medical Sciences 58-59 (2022) : 28-34 www.rad-med.com 28 June 2022 Vol 552 = 58-59 Abstract Introduction: Disease-modifying therapy (DMT) dramatically influenced the management of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Novel medicines have been developing constantly and therapeutic strategy has changed. We aimed to analyse the development of DMT for MS in Slovenia with a special emphasis on contemporary approaches to the patient management. Materials and Methods: Prescriptions of all DMT in Slovenia from 2001-2021 were analysed as well as referrals to the Committee for MS DMT the Centre for MS in Ljubljana in the last three years (2019-2021). Results: Altogether approximately 360 patients were on DMT in 2001 and 1839 in 2021. The total number of patients on injectable therapies decreased through time while the number of patients on oral therapies increased. Dimethyl fumarate is currently the most frequently used medicine with 505 patients on the drug in 2021. The number of patients on potent medications increased from 28 (3%) in 2012 to 763 (41%) in 2021. Highly active medicines represented 52%, 62% and 69% of all DMT approvals in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. Conclusions: The number of treated MS patients has been increasing steadily in Slovenia as well as the number of patients on potent DMT which proves that neurologists follow the modern concept of MS treatment.