Literature Review (Grey)
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a challenge for all participants in the healthcare system. At the beginning of the pandemic, many physicians asked themselves what risk their patients, especially those with chronic diseases, were exposed to. In this article, the authors present an overview of all patients with MS and SARS-CoV-2 infection published in the literature so far. In total, there are publications on 873 SARS-CoV-2 positive MS patients and information on the outcome was given for 700 patients. With regard to the different disease modifying therapies (DMTs), by far the most cases were described when taking anti-CD20 treatment (n = 317). The mortality rate of all MS patients was 4% and a further 3% required invasive or non-invasive ventilation. When looking at the severe and fatal cases, it is particularly noticeable that patients without DMTs, with previous cardiovascular diseases, or with a severe degree of disability are at risk. Immunosuppressive therapy itself did not appear to be a substantial risk factor. Rather, the authors concluded, it is reasonable to assume that the therapies could be protective, either directly, by mitigating the cytokine storm, or indirectly, by reducing the disease activity of MS.
DOI: 10.3390/jcm9124067
