tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Mult Scler Relat Disord
. 2021 May 5;52:102939.
doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.102939. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 is associated with new symptoms of multiple sclerosis that are prevented by disease modifying therapies
Afagh Garjani[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rodden M Middleton[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Rachael Hunter[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Katherine A Tuite-Dalton[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alasdair Coles[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ruth Dobson[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Martin Duddy[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stella Hughes[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Owen R Pearson[SUP] 8 [/SUP], David Rog[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Emma C Tallantyre[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Roshan das Nair[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Richard Nicholas[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Nikos Evangelou[SUP] 13 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Infections can trigger exacerbations of multiple sclerosis (MS). The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on MS are not known. The aim of this study was to understand the impact of COVID-19 on new and pre-existing symptoms of MS.
Methods: The COVID-19 and MS study is an ongoing community-based, prospective cohort study conducted as part of the United Kingdom MS Register. People with MS and COVID-19 were invited by email to complete a questionnaire about their MS symptoms during the infection. An MS exacerbation was defined as developing new MS symptoms and/or worsening of pre-existing MS symptoms.
Results: Fifty-seven percent (230/404) of participants had an MS exacerbation during their infection; 82 developed new MS symptoms, 207 experienced worsened pre-existing MS symptoms, and 59 reported both. Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) reduced the likelihood of developing new MS symptoms during the infection (OR 0.556, 95%CI 0.316-0.978). Participants with a higher pre-COVID-19 webEDSS (web-based Expanded Disability Status Scale) score (OR 1.251, 95%CI 1.060-1.478) and longer MS duration (OR 1.042, 95%CI 1.009-1.076) were more likely to experience worsening of their pre-existing MS symptoms during the infection.
Conclusion: COVID-19 infection was associated with exacerbation of MS. DMTs reduced the chance of developing new MS symptoms during the infection.
Keywords: COVID-19; Disease modifying therapies; Exacerbation; Infection; Multiple sclerosis.
. 2021 May 5;52:102939.
doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.102939. Online ahead of print.
COVID-19 is associated with new symptoms of multiple sclerosis that are prevented by disease modifying therapies
Afagh Garjani[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Rodden M Middleton[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Rachael Hunter[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Katherine A Tuite-Dalton[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alasdair Coles[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ruth Dobson[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Martin Duddy[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Stella Hughes[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Owen R Pearson[SUP] 8 [/SUP], David Rog[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Emma C Tallantyre[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Roshan das Nair[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Richard Nicholas[SUP] 12 [/SUP], Nikos Evangelou[SUP] 13 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34010764
- DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.102939
Abstract
Background: Infections can trigger exacerbations of multiple sclerosis (MS). The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on MS are not known. The aim of this study was to understand the impact of COVID-19 on new and pre-existing symptoms of MS.
Methods: The COVID-19 and MS study is an ongoing community-based, prospective cohort study conducted as part of the United Kingdom MS Register. People with MS and COVID-19 were invited by email to complete a questionnaire about their MS symptoms during the infection. An MS exacerbation was defined as developing new MS symptoms and/or worsening of pre-existing MS symptoms.
Results: Fifty-seven percent (230/404) of participants had an MS exacerbation during their infection; 82 developed new MS symptoms, 207 experienced worsened pre-existing MS symptoms, and 59 reported both. Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) reduced the likelihood of developing new MS symptoms during the infection (OR 0.556, 95%CI 0.316-0.978). Participants with a higher pre-COVID-19 webEDSS (web-based Expanded Disability Status Scale) score (OR 1.251, 95%CI 1.060-1.478) and longer MS duration (OR 1.042, 95%CI 1.009-1.076) were more likely to experience worsening of their pre-existing MS symptoms during the infection.
Conclusion: COVID-19 infection was associated with exacerbation of MS. DMTs reduced the chance of developing new MS symptoms during the infection.
Keywords: COVID-19; Disease modifying therapies; Exacerbation; Infection; Multiple sclerosis.