A National Representative, Cross-Sectional Study by the Hellenic Academy of NeuroImmunology (HEL.A.NI.) on COVID-19 and Multiple Sclerosis: Overall Impact and Willingness Toward Vaccination

Marina Boziki; Charis Styliadis; Christos Bakirtzis; Eleni Grigoriadou; Aggeliki-Styliani Sintila; Ioannis Nikolaidis; Aliki Vrienniou; Lotte Geys; Sygkliti-Henrietta Pelidou; Lesley Probert; Georgios Papazisis; Panagiotis Bamidis; Nikolaos Grigoriadis

doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.757038

A National Representative, Cross-Sectional Study by the Hellenic Academy of NeuroImmunology (HEL.A.NI.) on COVID-19 and Multiple Sclerosis: Overall Impact and Willingness Toward Vaccination

Front Neurol. 2021 Nov 25:12:757038. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.757038. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Marina Boziki^{1

2}, Charis Styliadis³, Christos Bakirtzis^{1

2}, Eleni Grigoriadou¹, Aggeliki-Styliani Sintila¹, Ioannis Nikolaidis^{1

2}, Aliki Vrienniou⁴, Lotte Geys^{5

6

7}, Sygkliti-Henrietta Pelidou^{2

8}, Lesley Probert^{2

9}, Georgios Papazisis¹⁰, Panagiotis Bamidis³, Nikolaos Grigoriadis^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ 2nd Neurological University Department, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association (AHEPA) General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
² Hellenic Academy of NeuroImmunology (HEL.A.NI.), Thessaloniki, Greece.
³ Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
⁴ Hellenic Federation of Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Athens, Greece.
⁵ University MS Center (UMSC), Campus Diepenbeek, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
⁶ University of Hasselt, Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Diepenbeek, Belgium.
⁷ University of Hasselt, Data Science Institute (DSI), Diepenbeek, Belgium.
⁸ Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
⁹ Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.

Abstract

Background: In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the constant needs of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and their caregivers were urgently highlighted. Aim: The present study aims to capture the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in several aspects of the quality of life of PwMS, in perception and behavior to COVID-19 and multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as concerning healthcare, working conditions, and the willingness toward COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: This study is an initiative of the Hellenic Academy of Neuroimmunology (HEL.A.NI.) and it has been included in the MS Data Alliance (MSDA) Catalog, which can be accessed after creating an account on https://msda.emif-catalogue.eu/login. Two online questionnaires were administered: (i) impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life, behavior, and healthcare of PwMS (Questionnaire A) and (ii) vaccination against COVID-19 (Questionnaire B). People with MS were invited to participate by the Hellenic Federation of Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (HFoPwMS). Results: Three-hundred-ninety PwMS responded to Questionnaire A, whereas 176 PwMS provided answers for Questionnaire B. Older age, longer disease duration, and higher MS-related disability were associated with the increased perceived sensitivity toward severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, as well as the increased perceived severity of COVID-19 upon potential infection. A significant proportion of PwMS experienced restricted access to MS-related health professionals, disease-modifying therapy (DMT) prescription, and/or to MS-related laboratory examination due to the pandemic. Subgroups of PwMS reported exacerbated symptoms (i.e., chronic MS-related symptoms, fatigue and/or worsening of pre-existing fatigue, and sexual dysfunction and or/worsening of pre-existing sexual dysfunction). Overall, the majority of the participants reported either a strong willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or a likeliness to undergo vaccination. Being aware of the HEL.A.NI. recommendations regarding COVID-19 vaccination for PwMS were reported to increase the willingness of the participants to receive the vaccine. Conclusions: Our results highlight the necessity of scientific and patient organizations in taking joint action to increase awareness on health-related issues during the pandemic and to provide accurate and up-to-date guidance for PwMS. Online information and communications technology (ICT) tools for polling public belief and behavior may prove valuable as means of retaining active routes of communication between stakeholders.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; caregivers; information and communications technology (ICT) tools; people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); quality of life (QoL); vaccination.