Response to Mitoxantrone for Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in African Americans Compared with Whites

Mitoxantrone has been associated with the severe adverse effects of cardiotoxicity and myelocytic leukemia. Therefore, in considering mitoxantrone as a treatment option for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), it is important to determine whether the possible benefits outweigh the considerable risks. In a retrospective evaluation of patients who had received mitoxantrone in our MS center, we noted unexpectedly better outcomes in six African Americans with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) compared with six white patients with similar characteristics. Although this sample is small, if it is typical, the findings may provide support for the use of mitoxantrone in African American people with MS and indicate a need to evaluate MS patients' responses to treatment by ethnicity.