COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rate in Iranian multiple sclerosis patients: What we know by May 2021

Highlights

• pwMS are not more susceptible to COVID-19 compared to the general population.

• pwMS are more prone to hospitalization compared to the general population.

• No relation was found between individual DMT drugs and risk of COVID-19 infection.

• Rituximab had a higher risk of hospitalization compared to other treatments.

• Dimethyl fumarate had a lower hospitalization risk compared to other treatments.

Abstract

Background

: Despite investigations on the effect of disease modifying therapies (DMTs) used in multiple sclerosis (MS) on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); there are still controversies.

Objective

: We designed this study to evaluate the epidemiological features of covid-19 in a large sample of people with MS (pwMS) in Isfahan, Iran, as well as the association between DMTs, risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization.

Methods

: In an observational pwMS, we interviewed subjects on their MS and COVID-19 history.

Results

: 3050 subjects were included (74% female) with a mean age of 41.36. 423 (13.8%) had confirmed COVID-19 which shows that pwMS are at a higher risk of infection compared to the general population, No significant relationship was observed in COVID-19 infection when individual drugs. Dimethyl fumarate and rituximab had the lowest and the highest relative risks for hospitalization rate compared to other drugs, respectively.

Conclusion

: We found no evidence supporting a higher prevalence of COVID-19 in pwMS compared to the general population. However, our results show pwMS to be more prone to hospitalization compared to the general population, Therefore, it is advised to use safer treatment if possible until complete vaccination, and to postpone the use of rituximab.