Document is current

Article History

Received: 16 July 2025

Revised: 9 November 2025

Accepted: 12 November 2025

First Online: 24 December 2025

Declarations

:

: Clara G. Chisari reported receiving grants to attend scientific congresses or speaker honoraria from Biogen, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi/Genzyme, Teva. Salvatore Lo Fermo reported no disclosures. Alessia Di Sapio reported no disclosures. Maria Pia Amato reported no disclosures. Giuseppe Salemi reported no disclosures. Ilaria Pesci reported no disclosures. Erica Curti reported no disclosures. Diana Ferraro reported no disclosures. Alessandra Lugaresi has received personal compensation from Alexion, Amgen/Horizon, Biogen, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene, Janssen/Johnson&Johnson, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi/Genzyme and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM). Her institutions received research grants from Novartis, Roche and Sanofi/Genzyme. Luca Massacesi reported no disclosures. Matilde Inglese reported no disclosures. Paola Gazzola reported no disclosures. Sabrina Realmuto reported no disclosures. Cristina Fioretti reported no disclosures. Umberto Aguglia reported no disclosures. Sara Montepietra reported no disclosures. Massimo Filippi received compensation for consulting services from Alexion, Almirall, Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, speaking activities from Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Chiesi Italia SpA, Eli Lilly, Genzyme, Janssen, Merck-Serono, Neopharmed Gentili, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Sanofi, Takeda, and TEVA, participation in Advisory Boards for Alexion, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, Sanofi-Aventis, Sanofi-Genzyme, Takeda, scientific direction of educational events for Biogen, Merck, Roche, Celgene, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi-Genzyme, he receives research support from Biogen Idec, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, the Italian Ministry of Health, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, and Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla. Francesco Patti reported receiving honoraria for speaking activities by Almirall, Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, and TEVA; he also served as advisory board member the following companies: Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, and TEVA; he was also funded by Pfizer and FISM for epidemiological studies; he received grants for congress participation from Almirall, Bayer Shering, Biogen Idec, Merck Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, and TEVA.

: This study protocol was approved by the local Ethical Committee of the University of Catania (Catania 1, Italy) and by the Ethical Committee of the participating centers. The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

: Each patient participating to the study signed an Informed Consent specifically designed to participate to the study protocol.