# Multiple sclerosis and COVID-19: a northern China survey

## TL;DR

This study examines how multiple sclerosis patients in northern China were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the relationship between MS disease course, age, and SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes in a Chinese population.

## Key findings

- Shorter disease course is independently associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection risk.
- Older age correlates with worsened behavioral symptoms after infection.
- DMT use appears safe during the pandemic, but B cell-depletion agents require caution.

## Abstract

There is insufficient data on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in Chinese patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). This study aims to explore the manifestation of pwMS during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the prognosis of MS in northern China.

In this cross-sectional study, an online self-administered questionnaire and telephone interviews were conducted among pwMS of northern China. Clinical correlation of SARS-CoV-2 infection since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in northern China was analyzed.

164 patients with an average age of 38.9 ± 12.2 years were included, of which 57.3% had a disease course ≤ 5 years. 33.5% of the patients were COVID-19 vaccinated. 87.2% received disease-modifying therapy (DMT), and the average immunotherapy duration was 1.9 ± 1.6 years. 83.5% were SARS-CoV-2 infected, 14.6% reported worsening of their original condition after infection, and 5.1% had a relapse of MS. Shorter disease course was independently related to infection risk (P = 0.046), whereas increasing age was related to aggravated behavioral symptoms (P = 0.008). However, gender, vaccination, and DMT were not associated with susceptibility or poor prognosis.

A shorter disease course is independently associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and age is associated with worsening disability. It seems to be safe and necessary to use DMT during the pandemic, however, the use of B cell-depletion agents should be approached with caution.