Table 1 Demographic characteristics of study groups

N

98

218

Race (% White)

86 (87.8)

195 (89.4)

0.80

Female (%)

66 (67.4)

160 (73.4)

0.44

Age (years, mean ± SD)

38.33 ± 10.64

45.91 ± 10.44

 < 0.001

Disease duration (years, mean ± SD)

6.76 ± 7.67

11.94 ± 8.31

 < 0.001

EDSS at treatment initiation (mean ± SD)

1.43 ± 1.00

1.67 ± 1.40

0.13

Treatment-naïve patients (%)

34 (34.7)

29 (13.3)

 < 0.001

Relapses in year prior to treatment (mean ± SD)

1.05 ± 0.95

0.32 ± 0.57

 < 0.001

Number of previous treatments (mean ± SD)

0.99 ± 1.09

1.94 ± 1.76

 < 0.001

Previous course of IFN (N (%))

39 (39.8)

98 (45.0)

0.46

Previous course of GA (N (%))

38 (38.8)

121 (55.5)

0.01

Previous course of other treatments (N (%))

8 (8.2)

57 (26.2)

 < 0.001

Reason for stopping previous treatments (N (%))

 < 0.001

 Disease activity

38 (60.3)

49 (27.1)

 Intolerance/ allergy

3 (4.8)

23 (12.7)

 No information

2 (3.2)

10 (5.5)

 Other

12 (19.0)

32 (17.7)

 Patient preference

3 (4.8)

51 (28.2)

 Side effect

5 (7.9)

16 (8.8)