Ibuprofen Reduces Side Effects of Drug

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Ibuprofen Reduces Side Effects of Drug for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

ST. PAUL, MN -- Ibuprofen has been shown to reduce the "flu-like" side effects of the drug interferon beta-1b, an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis attacks, according to a study in the June issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Side effects frequently experienced by patients taking interferon beta-1b include fever, chills, sweating, weariness and pain in one or more muscles. Previous studies indicate that 50 percent of people treated with interferon report these symptoms.

"Reducing these side effects brings relief for patients," said neurologist and study co-author Robert Knobler, MD, PhD, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. "It may also allow patients to tolerate higher doses of the drug, which may be more effective in treating the disease."

Research has shown that interferon reduces the frequency and severity of attacks in people with multiple sclerosis and may halt disease progression in people with secondary progressive forms of MS.

Researchers compared 24 people from the MS Center at Thomas Jefferson University and 26 from the MS Clinic at University Hospital in London, Ontario. Half of these participants had relapsing remitting MS while the other half had secondary progressive MS. The ten-week study involved three treatment programs: the first group received standard doses of interferon while taking ibuprofen; the second group received a gradual increase of interferon along with ibuprofen; and the third group received the same gradual increase of interferon with no ibuprofen.

The frequency of flu-like side effects was reduced to levels comparable to a placebo group in previous studies, with the largest decline seen in those who had a gradual increase in dose of interferon combined with interferon. Six percent of those with the gradual dose of interferon and ibuprofen experienced the flu-like symptoms, compared to 17 percent of those on standard doses of interferon with ibuprofen and 40 percent of those on gradual doses of interferon with no ibuprofen.

"Minimizing the side effects of this drug is essential to the long-term use of interferon," said neurologist and study co-author Fred Lublin, MD, of MCP Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA.

Lublin said the use of ibuprofen may help researchers evaluate treatments for MS more quickly, as side effects can hamper the effectiveness of studies. Side effects sometimes cause people to drop out of studies. Side effects can also reveal to study participants and researchers who was given the drug and who was not. According to Lublin, this study could lead to the improvement of double-blind clinical trials by masking side effects.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 15,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.

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