Objective:
The objective of the review is to explore randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on disease-modifying therapies for relapsing multiple sclerosis to identify and quantify the different outcome measures, instruments and definitions of efficacy, safety outcomes, health-related quality of life instruments and population subgroups.
Introduction:
A wide range of therapies are available for relapsing multiple sclerosis, as well as a wide range of outcome measures and definitions, which can be explained by the absence of a core outcome set for this disease. Establishing a core outcome set is fundamental for guiding future studies as they improve the consistency and relevance of new findings and enable the results of trials to be compared and combined. These features are especially important for relapsing multiple sclerosis due to the limited number of head-to-head studies on this disease. Although many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have focussed on the efficacy and safety of disease-modifying therapies in relapsing multiple sclerosis, none have had the specific objective of mapping outcome measures.
Inclusion criteria:
This review will consider RCTs that explore populational subgroups, efficacy, safety outcomes, health-related quality of life instruments and their definitions in the context of disease-modifying therapies for adults with relapsing multiple sclerosis.
Methods:
Electronic searches will be performed in PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, JBI Evidence Synthesis with no time limit. Two researchers will independently select registries (screening and eligibility steps) and extract data on study characteristics, outcome measures, definitions and population subgroups. Data will be presented in graphical or tabular form, accompanied by a narrative summary.
Correspondence: Astrid Wiens, astrid@ufpr.br
RCL declares personal fees from Biogen and Roche; MLO, AFB, FFL and AW declare have no conflict of interest. Biogen and Roche are not funders of this review and do not have a role in any phase of the study.
© 2020 Joanna Briggs Institute.