Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2025
Rat Model of Widespread Cerebral Cortical Demyelination Induced by an Intracerebral Injection of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines
Published on: September 21, 2021
Characteristics of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis
Fereshteh Ghadiri1, Mohammad Ali Sahraian1, Vahid Shaygannejad2
1Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Regarding the high prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and COVID-19 in Iran, a multicenter study of COVID-19 in Iranian MS patients with is carried out to address the concerns of this population.
Methods:
Data on MS patients with COVID-19 from nine provinces of Iran were entered in a web-based registry system, between July 2020 and March 2021. Among the COVID-19 symptoms, dyspnea, altered mental status, or those resulting in hospital admission were considered severe.
Results:
A total of 397 eligible patients were identified. In addition, 310 (78%) were female. The mean age was 36.5 ± 9.5. 294 (74%) patients had relapsing- remitting form. Also, four patients (1%) expired due to COVID-19 infection. The mean duration of admission in hospitalized patients was 9 (± 5.3) days. MRI was performed on 111 (28%) patients after developing COVID-19. MRI changes were observed in 27 (24%) of these cases. MS drug was changed in 26 (6%) patients. Steroid use in the past three months (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.003-5.88) (p value: 0.049) and antiCD20s (OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 2.41-6.68) (p value < 0.001) showed significant association with severe COVID-19 symptoms.
Conclusion:
The death rate of COVID-19 among MS patients (1%) is lower than the overall death rate of the pandemic in Iran (3%). Those who received steroid in the past three months may be at increased risk of more severe forms of COVID-19. There are still doubts about the effect of anti CD20s on COVID-19 severity.
Related Concept Videos
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
01:27Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
01:20Myasthenia Gravis: Overview and Treatment
These antibodies interfere with the function of the nicotinic receptors in three ways: by binding to the receptor and disrupting acetylcholine binding; by causing cross-linking of receptors which...
01:15Myasthenia Gravis: Diagnostic Tests
The edrophonium test is a diagnostic tool for myasthenia gravis. It involves...
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
01:23Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...