Oral corticosteroid dosage and taper duration at onset in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease influences time to first relapse
Benjamin Trewin, Russell C. Dale, Jessica Qiu, Melissa Chu, Niroshan Jeyakumar, Fionna Dela Cruz, Jane Andersen, Pakeeran Siriratnam, Kit Kwan M, Todd A. Hardy, Anneke van der Walt, Jeannette Lechner‐Scott, Helmut Butzkueven, Simon Broadley, Michael Barnett, Stephen Reddel, Fabienne Brilot, Tomáš Kalinčík, Sudarshini Ramanathan
Abstract
Background We sought to identify an optimal oral corticosteroid regimen at the onset of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), which would delay time to first relapse while minimising cumulative corticosteroid exposure. Methods In a retrospective multicentre cohort study, Cox proportional hazards models examined the relationship between corticosteroid course as a time-varying covariate and time to first relapse. Simon-Makuch and Kaplan-Meier plots identified an optimal dosing strategy. Results We evaluated 109 patients (62 female, 57%; 41 paediatric, 38%; median age at onset 26 years, (IQR 8–38); median follow-up 6.2 years (IQR 2.6–9.6)). 76/109 (70%) experienced a relapse (median time to first relapse 13.7 months; 95% CI 8.2 to 37.9). In a multivariable model, higher doses of oral prednisone delayed time to first relapse with an effect estimate of 3.7% (95% CI 0.8% to 6.6%; p = 0.014) reduced hazard of relapse for every 1 mg/day dose increment. There was evidence of reduced hazard of relapse for patients dosed ≥12.5 mg/day (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.6; p = 0.0036), corresponding to a 79% reduction in relapse risk. There was evidence of reduced hazard of relapse for those dosed ≥12.5 mg/day for at least 3 months (HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.44; p = 0.0012), corresponding to an 88% reduction in relapse risk compared with those never treated in this range. No patient with this recommended dosing at onset experienced a Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade >3 adverse effect. Conclusions The optimal dose of 12.5 mg of prednisone daily in adults (0.16 mg/kg/day for children) for a minimum of 3 months at the onset of MOGAD delays time to first relapse.