Studying the Effects of Copaxone on Retinal Health Using Optical Tomography Over 24 Months (GAO)

Inclusion Criteria:

• MS patients diagnosed with clinically definite MS according to the McDonald criteria (Polman et al., 2005)
• Starting GA monotherapy (20mg/day sc) at the time of the OCT scan
• Having baseline clinical OCT scan that included RNFLT and TMV assessment at the start of the GA
• Having baseline clinical OCT scan that included RNFLT and TMV assessment (healthy controls)
• MS patients having a RR disease course (Lublin and Reingold, 1996)
• Age 18-65 (healthy controls will be matched to MS patients for age and sex)
• Signed informed consent at the 24-month follow-up
• None of the exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients who had a relapse within 30 days prior to OCT scan date
• Patients who received steroid treatment within 30 days prior to OCT scan date
• Women who are pregnant, lactating or of childbearing age who do not consent to approved contraceptive use during the study
• MS patients who used other imunomodulatory or immunosuppressant treatment other than GA during the follow-up (e.g., IFN-β, mitoxantrone, cyclophosphamide, cladribine, fludarabine, cyclosporine, total body, azathioprine, methotrexate, IVIG, cellcept, natalizumab, etc.)