About the Authors

Kristin I. Løken-Amsrud

Affiliations Department of Neurology, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Kjell-Morten Myhr

Affiliations Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Competence Centre, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Multiple Sclerosis Research Centre, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Søren J. Bakke

Affiliation Department of Neuroradiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

Antonie G. Beiske

Affiliation Multiple Sclerosis Centre Hakadal, Hakadal, Norway

Kristian S. Bjerve

Affiliations Department of Medical Biochemistry, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Bård T. Bjørnarå

Affiliation Helsehuset Kongsberg, Kongsberg, Norway

Harald Hovdal

Affiliation Department of Neurology, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

Finn Lilleås

Affiliation Curato Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Rune Midgard

Affiliations Department of Neurology, Molde Hospital, Molde, Norway, Unit for Applied Clinical Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Tom Pedersen

Affiliation Unilabs Drammen, Drammen, Norway

Jūratė Šaltytė Benth

Affiliations Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, Helse Sør-Øst Health Services Research Centre, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway

Øivind Torkildsen

Affiliation Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Competence Centre, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Stig Wergeland

Affiliation Norwegian Multiple Sclerosis Competence Centre, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Trygve Holmøy

trygve.holmoy@medisin.uio.no

Affiliations Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway

Competing Interests

The study was partly supported by Merck-Serono, Pronova Biocare and Bayer Schering. Bård T. Bjørnarå is employed by Helsehuset Kongsberg, Finn Lilleås by Curato Oslo and Tom Pedersen by Unilabs. Kristin I. Løken-Amsrud has received travel support and an unrestricted research grant from Biogen Idec and travel support from Merck Serono. Kjell-Morten Myhr has received honoraria for lecturing, participation in pharmaceutical company sponsored clinical trials, and travel support from Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Novartis, Merck-Serono and Sanofi Aventis. Harald Hovdal has participated in pharmaceutical company sponsored clinical trials and received travel support from Merck Serono, Biogen Idec and Bayer Schering. Rune Midgard has received honoraria for lecturing, participation in pharmaceutical company sponsored clinical trials, and travel support from Bayer Schering, Biogen Idec, Novartis, Merck-Serono and Sanofi Aventis. Stig Wergeland has received speaker honoraria and travel support from Sanofi Aventis, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering and Novartis. Trygve Holmøy has received speaker honoraria and travel support from Sanofi Aventis, Biogen Idec, Bayer Schering, Novartis and Merck Serono. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors’ adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: KMM SJB AGB KSB BTB HH FL RM TP TH. Analyzed the data: KILA JSB TH. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: KSB. Wrote the paper: KILA TH. Contributed by interpretation of the data and revising the manuscript: KMM SJB AGB KSB BTB HH FL RM TP ØT SW.