ICYMI Multiple Sclerosis

Key clinical point: Compared with the general population, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at a slightly higher risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI) but not stroke.

Major finding: An increased risk for MI was found to be causally associated with MS (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; P = .0243). MS and stroke showed no significant causal association (OR, 1.01; P = .2974).

Study details: This was a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis of genetic summary data for MS (14,498 patients and 24,091 healthy controls), MI (43,676 patients and 128,199 healthy controls), and stroke (40,585 patients and 446,696 healthy controls) from large-scale genome-wide association studies.

Disclosures: The study was supported by Cultivation of Guangdong College Students' Scientific and Technological Innovation. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Peng H et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Jan 6. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103501.

Key clinical point: Compared with the general population, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at a slightly higher risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI) but not stroke.

Major finding: An increased risk for MI was found to be causally associated with MS (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; P = .0243). MS and stroke showed no significant causal association (OR, 1.01; P = .2974).

Study details: This was a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis of genetic summary data for MS (14,498 patients and 24,091 healthy controls), MI (43,676 patients and 128,199 healthy controls), and stroke (40,585 patients and 446,696 healthy controls) from large-scale genome-wide association studies.

Disclosures: The study was supported by Cultivation of Guangdong College Students' Scientific and Technological Innovation. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Peng H et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Jan 6. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103501.

Key clinical point: Compared with the general population, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at a slightly higher risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI) but not stroke.

Major finding: An increased risk for MI was found to be causally associated with MS (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; P = .0243). MS and stroke showed no significant causal association (OR, 1.01; P = .2974).

Study details: This was a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis of genetic summary data for MS (14,498 patients and 24,091 healthy controls), MI (43,676 patients and 128,199 healthy controls), and stroke (40,585 patients and 446,696 healthy controls) from large-scale genome-wide association studies.

Disclosures: The study was supported by Cultivation of Guangdong College Students' Scientific and Technological Innovation. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Peng H et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2022 Jan 6. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2022.103501.

Key clinical point: Women presenting with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to develop trigeminal neuralgia (TN) relative to men with MS.

Major finding: The estimated pooled TN prevalence in the overall population was 3.4%, with the prevalence being greater among women with MS (3.8%; 95% CI, 0.8%-8.7%) than among men with MS (2.4%; 95% CI, 0.5%-5.4%).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 19 studies involving 30,348 patients with MS.

Disclosures: This study reported no funding source or conflict of interests.

Source: Houshi S et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 28. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103472.

Key clinical point: Women presenting with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to develop trigeminal neuralgia (TN) relative to men with MS.

Major finding: The estimated pooled TN prevalence in the overall population was 3.4%, with the prevalence being greater among women with MS (3.8%; 95% CI, 0.8%-8.7%) than among men with MS (2.4%; 95% CI, 0.5%-5.4%).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 19 studies involving 30,348 patients with MS.

Disclosures: This study reported no funding source or conflict of interests.

Source: Houshi S et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 28. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103472.

Key clinical point: Women presenting with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to develop trigeminal neuralgia (TN) relative to men with MS.

Major finding: The estimated pooled TN prevalence in the overall population was 3.4%, with the prevalence being greater among women with MS (3.8%; 95% CI, 0.8%-8.7%) than among men with MS (2.4%; 95% CI, 0.5%-5.4%).

Study details: Findings are from a meta-analysis of 19 studies involving 30,348 patients with MS.

Disclosures: This study reported no funding source or conflict of interests.

Source: Houshi S et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 28. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103472.

Key clinical point: Ocrelizumab may be preferred over fingolimod as an exit strategy after natalizumab discontinuation in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: At 1 year, fewer relapses were observed in patients receiving ocrelizumab vs fingolimod (0.12±0.39 vs 0.41±0.71; P = .035), realizing a 70.7% lower annualized relapse rate. The cumulative probability of relapse was significantly higher with fingolimod vs ocrelizumab (31.5% vs 10.4%; adjusted hazard ratio, 3.4; P = .04).

Study details: The data come from an observational, retrospective study involving 102 patients with RRMS who received either fingolimod (n=54) or ocrelizumab (n=48) after natalizumab cessation.

Disclosures: No source of funding was disclosed. Some of the authors including the lead author reported receiving consultancy fees and travel grants from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Bigaut K et al. J Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10950-7.

Key clinical point: Ocrelizumab may be preferred over fingolimod as an exit strategy after natalizumab discontinuation in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: At 1 year, fewer relapses were observed in patients receiving ocrelizumab vs fingolimod (0.12±0.39 vs 0.41±0.71; P = .035), realizing a 70.7% lower annualized relapse rate. The cumulative probability of relapse was significantly higher with fingolimod vs ocrelizumab (31.5% vs 10.4%; adjusted hazard ratio, 3.4; P = .04).

Study details: The data come from an observational, retrospective study involving 102 patients with RRMS who received either fingolimod (n=54) or ocrelizumab (n=48) after natalizumab cessation.

Disclosures: No source of funding was disclosed. Some of the authors including the lead author reported receiving consultancy fees and travel grants from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Bigaut K et al. J Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10950-7.

Key clinical point: Ocrelizumab may be preferred over fingolimod as an exit strategy after natalizumab discontinuation in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: At 1 year, fewer relapses were observed in patients receiving ocrelizumab vs fingolimod (0.12±0.39 vs 0.41±0.71; P = .035), realizing a 70.7% lower annualized relapse rate. The cumulative probability of relapse was significantly higher with fingolimod vs ocrelizumab (31.5% vs 10.4%; adjusted hazard ratio, 3.4; P = .04).

Study details: The data come from an observational, retrospective study involving 102 patients with RRMS who received either fingolimod (n=54) or ocrelizumab (n=48) after natalizumab cessation.

Disclosures: No source of funding was disclosed. Some of the authors including the lead author reported receiving consultancy fees and travel grants from various pharmaceutical companies.

Source: Bigaut K et al. J Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1007/s00415-021-10950-7.

Key clinical point: Cognitive dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is predictive of a higher risk for conversion from relapse-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS and a higher risk for death.

Major finding: Cognitive dysfunction was linked to a greater risk of converting from relapse-remitting course to progressive disease course (adjusted odds ratio, 2.29; P = .043) and shorter survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.07; P = .006).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 408 patients with MS.

Disclosures: No external funding was received for this study. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Cavaco S et al. Mult Scler. 2021 Dec 30. doi: 10.1177/13524585211066598.

Key clinical point: Cognitive dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is predictive of a higher risk for conversion from relapse-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS and a higher risk for death.

Major finding: Cognitive dysfunction was linked to a greater risk of converting from relapse-remitting course to progressive disease course (adjusted odds ratio, 2.29; P = .043) and shorter survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.07; P = .006).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 408 patients with MS.

Disclosures: No external funding was received for this study. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Cavaco S et al. Mult Scler. 2021 Dec 30. doi: 10.1177/13524585211066598.

Key clinical point: Cognitive dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is predictive of a higher risk for conversion from relapse-remitting MS to secondary progressive MS and a higher risk for death.

Major finding: Cognitive dysfunction was linked to a greater risk of converting from relapse-remitting course to progressive disease course (adjusted odds ratio, 2.29; P = .043) and shorter survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.07; P = .006).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 408 patients with MS.

Disclosures: No external funding was received for this study. The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: Cavaco S et al. Mult Scler. 2021 Dec 30. doi: 10.1177/13524585211066598.

Key clinical point: Spending more time outdoors in the summer and higher exposure to summer ultraviolet radiation (UVR) markedly reduces the risk of developing pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: Compared with spending <30 minutes outdoors daily during the most recent summer, greater time spent outdoors was associated with a significantly decreased risk of developing MS (30-60 minutes: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.48; P = .05; 1-2 hours: aOR, 0.19; P < .001). Additionally, the ambient UVR dose also showed a protective effect (aOR, 0.76; P = .01).

Study details: This was a multicenter case-control study involving children with MS (n=332) compared with age- and gender-matched controls (n=534).

Disclosures: This study was funded by the NIH and the National MS Society. Some of the authors declared receiving grants from National MS Society and NIH and/or financial support and consulting/personal fees from various other sources.

Source: Sebastian P et al. Neurology. 2021 Dec 8. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013045.

Key clinical point: Spending more time outdoors in the summer and higher exposure to summer ultraviolet radiation (UVR) markedly reduces the risk of developing pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: Compared with spending <30 minutes outdoors daily during the most recent summer, greater time spent outdoors was associated with a significantly decreased risk of developing MS (30-60 minutes: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.48; P = .05; 1-2 hours: aOR, 0.19; P < .001). Additionally, the ambient UVR dose also showed a protective effect (aOR, 0.76; P = .01).

Study details: This was a multicenter case-control study involving children with MS (n=332) compared with age- and gender-matched controls (n=534).

Disclosures: This study was funded by the NIH and the National MS Society. Some of the authors declared receiving grants from National MS Society and NIH and/or financial support and consulting/personal fees from various other sources.

Source: Sebastian P et al. Neurology. 2021 Dec 8. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013045.

Key clinical point: Spending more time outdoors in the summer and higher exposure to summer ultraviolet radiation (UVR) markedly reduces the risk of developing pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS).

Major finding: Compared with spending <30 minutes outdoors daily during the most recent summer, greater time spent outdoors was associated with a significantly decreased risk of developing MS (30-60 minutes: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.48; P = .05; 1-2 hours: aOR, 0.19; P < .001). Additionally, the ambient UVR dose also showed a protective effect (aOR, 0.76; P = .01).

Study details: This was a multicenter case-control study involving children with MS (n=332) compared with age- and gender-matched controls (n=534).

Disclosures: This study was funded by the NIH and the National MS Society. Some of the authors declared receiving grants from National MS Society and NIH and/or financial support and consulting/personal fees from various other sources.

Source: Sebastian P et al. Neurology. 2021 Dec 8. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013045.

Key clinical point: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at an increased risk for cancer than the general population.

Major finding: Compared with the general population, patients with MS were at a significantly higher risk for cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.29-1.43), particularly prostate cancer (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.68-2.58), colorectal and anal cancer (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.58), and trachea bronchus and lung cancer (HR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.96-2.84).

Study details: This population-based matched-cohort study included 95,474 patients with MS matched with 95,474 individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by Merck Healthcare KGaA. Four authors including the lead author reported being employees of the Bordeaux PharmacoEpi, and the remaining authors reported being full-time employees of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The lead author reported receiving speaker fees from Biogen.

Source: Bosco-Lévy P et al. Eur J Neurol. 2021 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/ene.15226.

Key clinical point: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at an increased risk for cancer than the general population.

Major finding: Compared with the general population, patients with MS were at a significantly higher risk for cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.29-1.43), particularly prostate cancer (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.68-2.58), colorectal and anal cancer (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.58), and trachea bronchus and lung cancer (HR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.96-2.84).

Study details: This population-based matched-cohort study included 95,474 patients with MS matched with 95,474 individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by Merck Healthcare KGaA. Four authors including the lead author reported being employees of the Bordeaux PharmacoEpi, and the remaining authors reported being full-time employees of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The lead author reported receiving speaker fees from Biogen.

Source: Bosco-Lévy P et al. Eur J Neurol. 2021 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/ene.15226.

Key clinical point: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are at an increased risk for cancer than the general population.

Major finding: Compared with the general population, patients with MS were at a significantly higher risk for cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.29-1.43), particularly prostate cancer (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.68-2.58), colorectal and anal cancer (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.58), and trachea bronchus and lung cancer (HR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.96-2.84).

Study details: This population-based matched-cohort study included 95,474 patients with MS matched with 95,474 individuals from the general population.

Disclosures: This study was sponsored by Merck Healthcare KGaA. Four authors including the lead author reported being employees of the Bordeaux PharmacoEpi, and the remaining authors reported being full-time employees of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. The lead author reported receiving speaker fees from Biogen.

Source: Bosco-Lévy P et al. Eur J Neurol. 2021 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/ene.15226.

Key clinical point: Cognitive impairments may be evaluated up to 30 days before and up to 550 days after a relapse, beyond which they revert to prerelapse levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: From 30 days prerelapse to 550 days postrelapse, there was a significant drop in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score, with the largest decline occurring at 0-30 days postrelapse (β-coefficient, −4.00; 95% CI, −4.61 to −3.39) compared with the period of remission.

Study details: This nationwide cohort study recorded 31,529 SDMTs from among 3,877 patients with incident RRMS, each having a minimum of 2 SDMT scores recorded.

Disclosures: This study was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship award to KA McKay from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life, and Welfare (Forte). The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: McKay KA et al. Ann Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1002/ana.26301.

Key clinical point: Cognitive impairments may be evaluated up to 30 days before and up to 550 days after a relapse, beyond which they revert to prerelapse levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: From 30 days prerelapse to 550 days postrelapse, there was a significant drop in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score, with the largest decline occurring at 0-30 days postrelapse (β-coefficient, −4.00; 95% CI, −4.61 to −3.39) compared with the period of remission.

Study details: This nationwide cohort study recorded 31,529 SDMTs from among 3,877 patients with incident RRMS, each having a minimum of 2 SDMT scores recorded.

Disclosures: This study was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship award to KA McKay from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life, and Welfare (Forte). The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: McKay KA et al. Ann Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1002/ana.26301.

Key clinical point: Cognitive impairments may be evaluated up to 30 days before and up to 550 days after a relapse, beyond which they revert to prerelapse levels in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Major finding: From 30 days prerelapse to 550 days postrelapse, there was a significant drop in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score, with the largest decline occurring at 0-30 days postrelapse (β-coefficient, −4.00; 95% CI, −4.61 to −3.39) compared with the period of remission.

Study details: This nationwide cohort study recorded 31,529 SDMTs from among 3,877 patients with incident RRMS, each having a minimum of 2 SDMT scores recorded.

Disclosures: This study was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship award to KA McKay from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life, and Welfare (Forte). The authors reported no conflict of interests.

Source: McKay KA et al. Ann Neurol. 2022 Jan 4. doi: 10.1002/ana.26301.

Key clinical point: Treatment with interferon (IFN)-beta 1A improved the SARS-CoV-2-mRNA vaccine-specific humoral response in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), which was significantly reduced in patients treated with cladribine, fingolimod, or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Antispike immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels were significantly higher in IFN-treated patients with MS vs healthy controls (median, 1,916 vs 1,089; P = .029); however, antispike IgG levels were significantly lower in patients treated with cladribine (P = .002), fingolimod (P < .0001), or ocrelizumab (P < .0001).

Study details: This was a prospective monocentric study involving 149 patients with MS treated with disease-modifying therapies who were age- and gender-matched to 26 healthy controls, all of whom had no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and received 2 doses of BNT162b2-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Maniscalco GT et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 18. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103455.

Key clinical point: Treatment with interferon (IFN)-beta 1A improved the SARS-CoV-2-mRNA vaccine-specific humoral response in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), which was significantly reduced in patients treated with cladribine, fingolimod, or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Antispike immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels were significantly higher in IFN-treated patients with MS vs healthy controls (median, 1,916 vs 1,089; P = .029); however, antispike IgG levels were significantly lower in patients treated with cladribine (P = .002), fingolimod (P < .0001), or ocrelizumab (P < .0001).

Study details: This was a prospective monocentric study involving 149 patients with MS treated with disease-modifying therapies who were age- and gender-matched to 26 healthy controls, all of whom had no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and received 2 doses of BNT162b2-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Maniscalco GT et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 18. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103455.

Key clinical point: Treatment with interferon (IFN)-beta 1A improved the SARS-CoV-2-mRNA vaccine-specific humoral response in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), which was significantly reduced in patients treated with cladribine, fingolimod, or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Antispike immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels were significantly higher in IFN-treated patients with MS vs healthy controls (median, 1,916 vs 1,089; P = .029); however, antispike IgG levels were significantly lower in patients treated with cladribine (P = .002), fingolimod (P < .0001), or ocrelizumab (P < .0001).

Study details: This was a prospective monocentric study involving 149 patients with MS treated with disease-modifying therapies who were age- and gender-matched to 26 healthy controls, all of whom had no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and received 2 doses of BNT162b2-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Disclosures: This study was supported by Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Maniscalco GT et al. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2021 Dec 18. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2021.103455.

Key clinical point: Discontinuation of natalizumab seemed safe in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), who converted to secondary MS during treatment, with a high annual relapse rate (ARR) before natalizumab treatment being a risk factor for early relapse posttreatment discontinuation.

Major finding: After natalizumab discontinuation, conversion to secondary MS during treatment was protective for disease reactivation (odds ratio [OR], 0.08; P = .03), whereas ARR before treatment was the only risk factor for early relapse (OR, 1.46; P = .014).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 235 patients with MS who were treated with natalizumab, of whom 105 discontinued the treatment.

Disclosures: No information on funding was provided. E Fava reported no conflict of interests, and the other authors reported receiving fees for acting as an advisor/speaker/consultant or receiving grants for travel/research from various sources.

Source: Auer M et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02665-6.

Key clinical point: Discontinuation of natalizumab seemed safe in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), who converted to secondary MS during treatment, with a high annual relapse rate (ARR) before natalizumab treatment being a risk factor for early relapse posttreatment discontinuation.

Major finding: After natalizumab discontinuation, conversion to secondary MS during treatment was protective for disease reactivation (odds ratio [OR], 0.08; P = .03), whereas ARR before treatment was the only risk factor for early relapse (OR, 1.46; P = .014).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 235 patients with MS who were treated with natalizumab, of whom 105 discontinued the treatment.

Disclosures: No information on funding was provided. E Fava reported no conflict of interests, and the other authors reported receiving fees for acting as an advisor/speaker/consultant or receiving grants for travel/research from various sources.

Source: Auer M et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02665-6.

Key clinical point: Discontinuation of natalizumab seemed safe in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), who converted to secondary MS during treatment, with a high annual relapse rate (ARR) before natalizumab treatment being a risk factor for early relapse posttreatment discontinuation.

Major finding: After natalizumab discontinuation, conversion to secondary MS during treatment was protective for disease reactivation (odds ratio [OR], 0.08; P = .03), whereas ARR before treatment was the only risk factor for early relapse (OR, 1.46; P = .014).

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 235 patients with MS who were treated with natalizumab, of whom 105 discontinued the treatment.

Disclosures: No information on funding was provided. E Fava reported no conflict of interests, and the other authors reported receiving fees for acting as an advisor/speaker/consultant or receiving grants for travel/research from various sources.

Source: Auer M et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 2. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-02665-6.

Key clinical point: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and elicit a protective humoral response in most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) or remained untreated, except for some patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Overall, 86.8% of patients developed a positive humoral response against SARS-CoV-2, with only some patients treated with fingolimod (22.2%) or ocrelizumab (66%) failing to produce a significant humoral response (P < .01). Moreover, immunoglobulin G levels against SARS-CoV2 were significantly lower in patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab than those treated with other DMTs or those who remained untreated (P < .01). None of the patients experienced any adverse events requiring hospitalization.

Study details: This was a prospective cohort study involving 140 patients with MS who were treated with different DMTs and had received vaccination for COVID-19 (mostly BNT162b2).

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared.

Source: Capone F et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2021 Dec 3. doi: 10.1007/s13311-021-01165-9.

Key clinical point: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and elicit a protective humoral response in most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) or remained untreated, except for some patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Overall, 86.8% of patients developed a positive humoral response against SARS-CoV-2, with only some patients treated with fingolimod (22.2%) or ocrelizumab (66%) failing to produce a significant humoral response (P < .01). Moreover, immunoglobulin G levels against SARS-CoV2 were significantly lower in patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab than those treated with other DMTs or those who remained untreated (P < .01). None of the patients experienced any adverse events requiring hospitalization.

Study details: This was a prospective cohort study involving 140 patients with MS who were treated with different DMTs and had received vaccination for COVID-19 (mostly BNT162b2).

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared.

Source: Capone F et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2021 Dec 3. doi: 10.1007/s13311-021-01165-9.

Key clinical point: COVID-19 vaccines are safe and elicit a protective humoral response in most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) or remained untreated, except for some patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab.

Major finding: Overall, 86.8% of patients developed a positive humoral response against SARS-CoV-2, with only some patients treated with fingolimod (22.2%) or ocrelizumab (66%) failing to produce a significant humoral response (P < .01). Moreover, immunoglobulin G levels against SARS-CoV2 were significantly lower in patients treated with fingolimod or ocrelizumab than those treated with other DMTs or those who remained untreated (P < .01). None of the patients experienced any adverse events requiring hospitalization.

Study details: This was a prospective cohort study involving 140 patients with MS who were treated with different DMTs and had received vaccination for COVID-19 (mostly BNT162b2).

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared.

Source: Capone F et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2021 Dec 3. doi: 10.1007/s13311-021-01165-9.