RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Incidence and Impact of COVID-19 in MS
JF Neurology - Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation
JO Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP e954
DO 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000954
VO 8
IS 2
A1 Maria Sepúlveda
A1 Sara Llufriu
A1 Eugenia Martínez-Hernández
A1 Martí Català
A1 Montse Artola
A1 Ana Hernando
A1 Carmen Montejo
A1 Irene Pulido-Valdeolivas
A1 Eloy Martínez-Heras
A1 Mar Guasp
A1 Elisabeth Solana
A1 Laura Llansó
A1 Domingo Escudero
A1 Marta Aldea
A1 Clara Prats
A1 Francesc Graus
A1 Yolanda Blanco
A1 Albert Saiz
YR 2021
UL http://nn.neurology.org/content/8/2/e954.abstract
AB Objective To investigate the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a single-center cohort of patients with MS and to explore the contribution of their comorbidities and therapies to the outcome.Methods A cross-sectional mixed-method study was conducted involving an email-based, self-administered questionnaire sent on May 21, 2020, to 586 patients with MS followed at the MS Unit of Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, along with telephone interview, and review of electronic medical records until June 18, 2020. The cumulative incidence of confirmed COVID-19 (positive PCR or antibody test) and all COVID-19 cases (confirmed and suspected) from the start of the pandemic was compared with the population estimates for Barcelona.Results A total of 407 patients (69.5%) completed the survey. Most of the responders (67%) were female. The responders had a median age of 48 years (range 19–86), relapsing-remitting disease (84%), at least 1 comorbidity (45%), and were on disease-modifying therapy (DMT; 74.7%). COVID-19 was confirmed in 5 patients (1.2%) and suspected in 46 (11.3%). The cumulative incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases was similar to that of the general population but was almost 2-fold higher when all cases were considered (p < 0.001). Six patients (11.7%) were hospitalized, of which 5 had good recovery and 1 died. Hospitalized patients were more frequently male, had diabetes and had progressive forms of MS (p < 0.05). DMT was not associated with the risk of infection or the outcome.Conclusions In the studied MS cohort, the incidence of COVID-19 was higher than that of the general population; however, most patients did not require hospitalization and had a good outcome despite the frequent presence of comorbidities and treatment with DMT.DMT=disease-modifying therapy; EDSS=Expanded Disability Severity Scale; ICU=intensive care unit; SARS-CoV-2=severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; WHO=World Health Organization