Cladribine effects on emotional awareness and reasoning: The CLEAR study.

BACKGROUND

Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) is an inflammatory condition of the central nervous system associated with a range of neurological symptoms including neurocognitive difficulties. cladribine (Cladribine) is a highly effective treatment for RRMS that reduces disease progression, but little is known about how it influences neurocognitive function.

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of cladribine (Cladribine) on social cognition, a neurocognitive ability that has prognostic significance for social functioning and quality of life.

METHODS

A case control, longitudinal study of RRMS patients treated with cladribine (Cladribine) versus demographically matched healthy controls. Sequential cognitive assessments were performed prior to cladribine (Cladribine) commencement, and then in 12 monthly intervals for 2 years.

RESULTS

Between 2019 and 2022 49 RRMS patients and 51 controls were enrolled. There was little difference in social cognitive function at baseline between groups, which persisted over the study period. cladribine (Cladribine) was well tolerated with no severe adverse events reported.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide the first evidence that RRMS patients receiving cladribine (Cladribine) exhibit stasis in an important area of neurocognitive function relative to healthy controls.