A multi‐biomarker follow‐up study of patients with multiple sclerosis

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the levels of the macrophage marker sCD163 and other biomarkers at the time of diagnosis of patients with either clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) or relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), and assess relation to clinical indicators of prognosis, disease activity (DA), and changes in the levels of these biomarkers at follow‐up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical status and MRI were reevaluated in 56 patients more than 1 year after diagnosis with a median follow‐up time of 2 years. Levels of biomarkers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in time to DA between patients with CIS and RRMS. A high sCD163 ratio (>0.07) was significantly (P = 0.04) associated with time to DA in the untreated patient group. In 21 patients reevaluated with serum and CSF samples, the sCD163 ratio levels decreased from 0.068 to 0.054 (P = 0.026) in the CIS/RRMS‐treated group. The CSF CXCL13, CXCL13 ratio, CSF neurofilament light polypeptide and osteopontin levels also decreased significantly in the CIS/RRMS‐treated group. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of all biomarkers changed concurrently with MS treatment. The sCD163 ratio was identified as a potential novel marker for time to DA.