Associations between changes in ferritin levels and susceptibility-weighted imaging filtered phase in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis over 24weeks of therapy with subcutaneous interferon beta-1a three times weekly

Subanalysis of a pilot study (NCT01085318) assessed correlations between serum ferritin and imaging assessments in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients (n = 23) receiving 44. μg interferon beta-1a subcutaneously three times weekly. At baseline, 12, and 24. weeks, mean ferritin was 75, 127 (p < 0.001 vs baseline), and 101 (p = 0.020 vs baseline) ng/mL. No relationship between ferritin and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)-filtered phase of subcortical deep gray matter was found. Increasing ferritin correlated with decreasing lesion numbers on both fluid attenuated inversion recovery and SWI phase at 12. weeks (r = -0.62; p = 0.003; n = 21), and with decreasing gadolinium-enhancing lesion volume at 24. weeks (r = -0.71; p = 0.050; n = 8).