Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Cureus, cilt.16, sa.10, 2024 (ESCI)
Background and aim
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central
nervous system (CNS). This study aims to evaluate the effect of fingolimod on T and B lymphocytes in
relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients.
Method
Multiple sclerosis patients were selected from patients who were scheduled to start medication at the
outpatient clinic of Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey, between February 2019 and February 2022. Venous
blood samples were obtained before starting medication from the patients who agreed to participate in the
study and who were to start treatment, simultaneous clinical and neurologic examinations were performed
and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was calculated. After the six-month treatment, venous
blood samples were taken again. Lymphocyte subgroup analyses were performed in the flow cytometry
laboratory.
Results
The study included 48 patients in the fingolimod group and 33 patients as controls. Flow cytometry analyses
showed there was no significant difference between the two groups in the numbers and percentages of
CD19+, CD20+, and CD22+ cells at baseline, while a significant decrease was observed in all of these
parameters in the fingolimod group after the six-month treatment.
Discussion
Our findings support that the fingolimod treatment has significant effects on both lymphocyte counts and
lymphocyte subgroup ratios. The results show the mechanism of action of fingolimod is unaccountable only
through T lymphocytes, and it is effective in both B lymphocyte subgroups and T lymphocytes.