COVID-19 in teriflunomide-treated patients with multiple sclerosis

J Neurol. 2020 Oct;267(10):2790-2796. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-09944-8. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Abstract

The outbreak of a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19), has raised health concerns for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are commonly on long-term immunotherapies. Managing MS during the pandemic remains challenging with little published experience and no evidence-based guidelines. We present five teriflunomide-treated patients with MS who subsequently developed active COVID-19 infection. The patients continued teriflunomide therapy and had self-limiting infection, without relapse of their MS. These observations have implications for the management of MS in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Antiviral; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Multiple sclerosis; Teriflunomide.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Crotonates / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydroxybutyrates
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multiple Sclerosis / complications*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Nitriles
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Toluidines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Crotonates
  • Hydroxybutyrates
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Nitriles
  • Toluidines
  • teriflunomide