Experience with cyclophosphamide in multiple sclerosis: the cons

Abstract

Neurologists in the Kaiser-Permanente Medical Care Program recently designed a study to evaluate the utility of intensive immunosuppression with cyclophosphamide compared with folic acid in 44 patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Although preliminary results based on incomplete data suggest cyclophosphamide may be safely administered in an outpatient clinic setting and modest benefits cannot be ruled out, it is doubtful that there are very substantial benefits to that therapy. Although several other studies have been cited as evidence of cyclophosphamide's favorable effect on the clinical course of patients with MS, many of these studies have had design shortcomings. If these flaws are considered, the hypothesis that cyclophosphamide has a favorable effect on the course of MS must be considered weak.