(February 13, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Just two doses of rituximab, a drug that affects the immune system, can reduce the signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis for up to one year, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Here are some facts about MS:

•    MS is an autoimmune condition, meaning it is cause by disruptions in the body’s immune system that lead one’s own immune system to attack one’s own body.

•    In MS, the affected part of the body is the central nervous system (CNS), consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The condition can cause a multitude of symptoms, including difficulties with vision and controlling movement.

•    In the most common form of MS, called relapsing-remitting MS, people experience flare-ups of symptoms followed by periods of remission during which time symptoms stop getting worse.

Researchers gave 69 patients with relapsing-remitting MS two intravenous treatments with rituximab, spaced two weeks apart. They also gave 35 similar MS patients two intravenous placebo treatments and compared how each group did during the following year. All patients received regular brain scans using MRI to detect the presence of inflamed areas known to be associated with MS.

The patients who received rituximab had fewer inflamed areas in their brains than those who received a placebo. They were also less likely to be experiencing a relapse of MS symptoms six months and one year after the therapy was given. The rituximab therapy did not cause serious side effects.

Today’s research highlights the benefits of rituximab for the treatment of MS, a finding which sheds light on the immune processes that are disrupted in this condition.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.