Fingolimod and MS: Four cautionary tales

editorial:  Bourdette D, Gilden D.  Neurology 2012; 79: 1942-3

 

This editorial goes with four case reports in same journal about fingolimod, One case report indicates a patient who developed tumefactive MS six months after starting fingolimod (Visser F. et al.).  Centonze et al. reported three patients who stopped natalizumab, three months later began fingolimod, and several weeks later experienced severe exacerbations.   Gross et al. describes marked exacerbations of MS that occur after stopping therapy with fingolimod (rebound type activity)/  Ratchford et al. described VZV encephalitis in a patient who was taking fingolimod.