medicalxpress.com
For people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a COVID-19 infection is not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability, according to a new study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology. The findings, which provide reassurance for patients, suggest that COVID-19 does not significantly impact the trajectory of MS-related symptoms or overall disability in the long term.
The study followed 2,132 adults with MS, with an average age of 65, over 18 months. Participants were asked at least six times throughout the study to evaluate the severity of their MS symptoms, including walking, hand function, bodily pain, fatigue, and memory or thinking. Disability levels were also assessed based on how MS impacted daily activities, such as walking or standing.
Participants also completed a questionnaire to report whether they had ever experienced a confirmed COVID-19 infection. A total of 796 participants reported having COVID-19, while 1,336 said they had never been infected.
After accounting for variables like age, race, and gender, researchers found no significant differences in MS symptom severity or disability progression between the two groups. MS symptoms increased only slightly—by 0.02 points per month—both for those who had and had not experienced COVID-19. Researchers also observed similar results when examining disability levels.
“Our study indicates that COVID-19 infection was not associated with immediate changes in symptom severity or disability, nor did it change the MS symptoms or disability trajectory for more than a year and a half after the infection,” said study author Amber Salter, Ph.D., of UT Southwestern Medical Center.
The potential for infections to worsen MS symptoms has long been a concern for patients and clinicians. While prior research has linked some infections to increased disability in MS, this study suggests that COVID-19 may be an exception.
“This is good news for people with MS, that they do not need to worry about long-term worsening of their MS symptoms after a COVID-19 infection,” Dr. Salter explained.
However, researchers emphasized that the study primarily focused on older individuals, so these findings may not apply to younger people with MS. Additionally, limitations of the study include the possibility of false-negative COVID-19 tests or undetected infections among participants.
These findings offer a positive step toward understanding the relationship between infections like COVID-19 and MS. They also suggest that healthcare providers can reassure patients that a COVID-19 infection is unlikely to cause long-term worsening of MS symptoms or disability.
Further research may be needed to determine whether these results apply to younger MS patients or to other types of infections. For now, this study provides a reassuring message for people with MS and their care teams.