Recognizing that the real-world MS treatment decisions are impacted by sex-related factors may help avoid MS care disparities, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurology. Harald Hegen, MD, PhD, and colleagues conducted a cohort study to identify real-world, sex-related differences in disease-modifying treatment (DMT) between August 2006 and November 2020. The study analyzed data from the Austrian Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Registry, focusing on 4,840 patients with relapsing-remitting MS who started DMT and had at least two clinical visits. Results showed that women with MS were less likely to escalate DMT due to relapse activity compared with men. Women were also more likely to discontinue moderate and highly effective DMT, especially when younger, with family planning being a common reason for discontinuation. These findings were independent of disease activity markers like MRI lesion load and baseline relapse rate.
