Coronavirus disease 2019 in Latin American patients with multiple sclerosis

Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Oct:55:103173. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103173. Epub 2021 Jul 25.

Abstract

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who present coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are of particular interest to neurologists. These patients have a neuroimmune disease and receive immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapies in the long-term. We present here data from 73 patients with MS and a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 from five Latin American countries. Fifteen patients (20.5%) were hospitalized and two patients died. The use of anti-CD20 therapies was the only risk factor associated to hospitalization and death. Despite the small sample size, this study highlights the awareness regarding therapeutic options for MS during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Multiple sclerosis; Pandemic; ocrelizumab; rituximab.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Latin America / epidemiology
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / drug therapy
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / epidemiology
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2