Background The introduction of oral drugs in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed the treatment possibilities in which only parenteral treatments were available until recently.

Purpose To analyse the evolution of MS treatment prescriptions.

Material and methods An observational retrospective study was carried out in a medium sized hospital between January 2015 and September 2016 that included MS patients. Through the programme Farmatools, we obtained the list of patients in whom treatments for MS were dispensed from the hospital pharmacy.

Results During the study, 114 patients collected medication, with an average age of 42 years (72.81% women). The treatments provided most often were: glatiramer acetate 35.96%, interferon β 1-A 27.19%, teriflunomide 10.53% and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) 9.65%. There was 26 treatment changes (34.62% to DMF, 34.62% to teriflunomide, 15.38% to glatiramer acetate, 7.69% to peginterferon, 3.85% to interferon β 1-A and 3.85% to interferon β 1-B), 14 starts (interferon β 1-A 35.71%, glatiramer acetate 28.57%, teriflumonide 21.43% and DMF 14.29%) and 11 treatments discontinued. 46.83% of patients continued with their usual treatment. Cause of treatment changes was: inefficacy (61.54%), patient request (19.23%) and adverse events (19.23%).

Conclusion Although the main cause of treatment change was lack of efficacy, a significant proportion was at the request of the patient, which is then determined by the prescribing physician. The emergence of new oral agents has been a change in the prescription treatment of MS, which is mainly reflected in the large number of cases which have been changed from parenteral to oral administration, and treatment decisions that are largely based on patient preference and efficacy.

References and/or acknowledgements Zagmutt FJ, Carroll CA. Int J Neurosci2015;125:798–807.

English C. Aloi JJ Clin Ther 2015;37:691–715i.

Lorefice L, Fenu G, Frau J, et al. Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem.

No conflict of interest