Researchers have found a new therapy that can alleviate the fatigue that often accompanies MS. Many therapies have been developed to treat symptoms of MS, but few have helped, to any degree, the excessive and debilitating fatigue that is characteristic of MS. Now researchers have found that modafinil, also known as Provigil®‚ significantly increased energy levels in patients with MS-related fatigue.

Dr. Kottil W. Rammohan, neurologist at The Ohio State University Medical Center, led a study of 72 patients with MS, ranging in age from 18 to 65. Two doses of modafinil (200 mg and 400 mg) were compared against a placebo. It was observed that the 200 mg dose of the drug administered once daily showed a significant improvement of fatigue symptoms in patients. Three separate instruments for rating fatigue were used, and all three showed positive responses to this drug .

Rammohan’s group also looked at the potential side effects associated with this medication and found that they were not greater than those experienced by patients in the study who received a placebo. “It is always exciting to find an effective therapy that is void of serious side effects,” said Rammohan. Further, Rammohan said that more studies are needed to better understand the dosage and length of therapy necessary for patients, but he hopes more neurologists will start using modafinil for the treatment of severe fatigue that often accompanies MS. www.sciencedaily.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 9th, 2002 at 4:31 pm and is filed under All Articles, Energy & Fatigue, Medications, Multiple Sclerosis News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.