Evaluation of real-life outcome data of patients with spinal muscular atrophy treated with nusinersen in Switzerland
Anne Tscherter, Christina T. Rüsch, Dominique Baumann, Cornelia Enzmann, Oswald Hasselmann, David Jacquier, Hans H. Jung, Michelle E. Kruijshaar, Claudia E. Kuehni, Christoph Neuwirth, Georg M. Stettner, Andrea Klein, Dominique Baumann, Cornelia Enzmann, Oswald Hasselmann, David Jacquier, Hans H. Jung, Andrea Klein, Michelle E. Kruijshaar, Claudia E. Kuehni, Nadine Lötscher, Christoph Neuwirth, Gian Paolo Ramelli, Paolo Ripellino, Oliver Scheidegger, Georg M. Stettner, Anne Tscherter, David‐Alexander Wille
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder causing progressive proximal muscular, respiratory, and bulbar weakness. We present outcome data on motor function, ventilation, nutrition, and language development of SMA patients treated with nusinersen in Switzerland. This multicenter, observational study included 44 patients. At treatment initiation, after 2 months and then every 4 months we assessed motor function with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP-INTEND), Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale expanded (HFMSE) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT). At treatment initiation, patients were 0.1-44.6 years old, treatment duration ranged from 6 to 41 months. All 11 SMA type 1 children achieved higher CHOP-INTEND scores at the last assessment compared to treatment initiation, 4 acquired stable sitting. Six type 1 children were <18 months-old at treatment initiation. Two of them did not need ventilation or nutritional support at the last assessment; three had delayed language development and 3 articulation difficulties. 5/21 SMA type 2 patients achieved higher HFMSE scores. All ambulant type 3 patients showed a gain in the 6MWT. Nusinersen is an effective treatment, with gains in motor function occurring particularly in children and SMA type 1, but also in type 2 and 3, adolescents and adults.