RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Multiple Sclerosis JF Neurology - Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation JO Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins SP e1024 DO 10.1212/NXI.0000000000001024 VO 8 IS 5 A1 Georgina Arrambide A1 Miguel Ángel Llaneza-González A1 Lucienne Costa-Frossard França A1 Virginia Meca-Lallana A1 Eva Fernández- Díaz A1 Irene Moreno-Torres A1 Jose Manuel García-Domínguez A1 Gloria Ortega-Suero A1 Lucía Ayuso-Peralta A1 Mayra Gómez-Moreno A1 Javier J. Sotoca-Fernández A1 Ana Belén Caminero-Rodríguez A1 Luis A. Rodríguez de Antonio A1 Marcial Corujo-Suárez A1 María A. Otano-Martínez A1 Francisco Carlos Pérez-Miralles A1 Virginia Reyes-Garrido A1 Teresa Ayuso-Blanco A1 José Jesús Balseiro-Gómez A1 Mercedes Muñoz-Pasadas A1 Inmaculada Pérez-Molina A1 Carmen Arnal-García A1 Ángela Domingo-Santos A1 Cristina Guijarro-Castro A1 Cristina Íñiguez-Martínez A1 Nieves Téllez Lara A1 Fernando Castellanos-Pinedo A1 Tamara Castillo-Triviño A1 Debora María Cerdán-Santacruz A1 Ángel Pérez-Sempere A1 Berta Sebastián Torres A1 Amaya Álvarez de Arcaya A1 Eva Costa-Arpín A1 Eduardo Durán-Ferreras A1 Marta Fragoso-Martínez A1 Montserrat González-Platas A1 Lamberto Landete Pascual A1 Jorge Millán-Pascual A1 Celia Oreja-Guevara A1 José E. Meca-Lallana YR 2021 UL http://nn.neurology.org/content/8/5/e1024.abstract AB Objective To understand COVID-19 characteristics in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and identify high-risk individuals due to their immunocompromised state resulting from the use of disease-modifying treatments.Methods Retrospective and multicenter registry in patients with MS with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and available disease course (mild = ambulatory; severe = hospitalization; and critical = intensive care unit/death). Cases were analyzed for associations between MS characteristics and COVID-19 course and for identifying risk factors for a fatal outcome.Results Of the 326 patients analyzed, 120 were cases confirmed by real-time PCR, 34 by a serologic test, and 205 were suspected. Sixty-nine patients (21.3%) developed severe infection, 10 (3%) critical, and 7 (2.1%) died. Ambulatory patients were higher in relapsing MS forms, treated with injectables and oral first-line agents, whereas more severe cases were observed in patients on pulsed immunosuppressors and critical cases among patients with no therapy. Severe and critical infections were more likely to affect older males with comorbidities, with progressive MS forms, a longer disease course, and higher disability. Fifteen of 33 patients treated with rituximab were hospitalized. Four deceased patients have progressive MS, 5 were not receiving MS therapy, and 2 were treated (natalizumab and rituximab). Multivariate analysis showed age (OR 1.09, 95% CI, 1.04–1.17) as the only independent risk factor for a fatal outcome.Conclusions This study has not demonstrated the presumed critical role of MS therapy in the course of COVID-19 but evidenced that people with MS with advanced age and disease, in progressive course, and those who are more disabled have a higher probability of severe and even fatal disease.ANOVA=analysis of variance; CI=confidence interval; DMT=disease-modifying treatment; EDSS=Expanded Disability Status Scale; ICU=intensive care unit; IQR=interquartile range; IVMP=IV pulses of methylprednisolone; MS=multiple sclerosis; OR=odds ratio; RT=real time; SARS-CoV-2=severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2