Elsevier

Journal of Neuroimmunology

Volume 357, 15 August 2021, 577627
Journal of Neuroimmunology

Review Article
Update on the management of multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic and post pandemic: An international consensus statement

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2021.577627Get rights and content

Highlights

  • MS services keep making efforts to ensure the safety and standard of care for pwMS during the still-evolving COVID-19 crisis.

  • We aim to provide updated recommendations on MS management during the COVID-19 crisis and the post-pandemic period.

  • These recommendations may help HCPs reduce potential risks to pwMS, and to ensure that they receive the best possible care.

Abstract

In this consensus statement, we provide updated recommendations on multiple sclerosis (MS) management during the COVID-19 crisis and the post-pandemic period applicable to neurology services around the world.

Statements/recommendations were generated based on available literature and the experience of 13 MS expert panelists using a modified Delphi approach online.

The statements/recommendations give advice regarding implementation of telemedicine; use of disease-modifying therapies and management of MS relapses; management of people with MS at highest risk from COVID-19; management of radiological monitoring; use of remote pharmacovigilance; impact on MS research; implications for lowest income settings, and other key issues.

Keywords

COVID-19
Multiple sclerosis
Disease-modifying treatment
Telemedicine
Pharmacovigilance

Abbreviations

ADWP
Autoimmune Diseases Working Party
ARDS
acute respiratory distress syndrome
COVID-19
coronavirus disease 2019
DMF
dimethyl fumarate
DMT
disease-modifying therapy
HSCT
hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
ICU
intensive care unit
IRT
immune reconstitution therapies
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
MS
multiple sclerosis
MSIS-29
Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale
MuSC-19
Multiple Sclerosis and COVID-19
PDDS
Patient Determined Disease Steps
PML
progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
pwMS
people with multiple sclerosis
RECOVERY
Randomized Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy
SARS-CoV-2
severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
S1PR
sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor
triMS.online
Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis online
URT
upper respiratory tract
WHO
World Health Organization

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