The AJMC® Multiple Sclerosis compendium is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights for the disabling disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord.
COVID-19 Vaccination May Provide Less Protection for Patients Taking Ocrelizumab, Fingolimod for MS
December 23rd 2021After administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) taking ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) or fingolimod (Gilenya) may find themselves less protected against COVID-19 than the general population.
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Racial Differences Detected Regarding Impact of Obesity on Retinal Integrity in MS
December 22nd 2021Obesity was found to have a significant association with retinal structure abnormalities related to multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the impact may be greater for African Americans than Caucasian Americans.
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Smoking, Most DMTs Not Associated With Severe COVID-19 in Patients With MS
December 11th 2021Although obesity, diabetes, and certain comorbidities were all detected as risk factors for severe COVID-19 among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), other long-suspected risk factors, such as smoking and use of most disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), were not.
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Lifestyle Interventions May Be Needed to Improve MS Management, Quality of Life
December 10th 2021Changes to diet, wellness, and physical activity could have a profound effect on patients’ ability to manage their multiple sclerosis (MS) and significantly improve their quality of life at the same time, researchers concluded.
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Rituximab Infusion Timing, Dosing and COVID-19 Hospitalization Not Linked, Study Says
December 1st 2021A study examining the relation between rituximab infusion and hospitalization as a result of COVID-19 for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) found that the 2 were not related, contradicting past research.
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BMI Not Found to Affect Cognitive Function, Brain Volume in Patients With RRMS
November 24th 2021Body mass index (BMI) was not identified as a factor influencing cognitive function or brain mass in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), investigators of a recent analysis concluded.
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Anti-CD20 Therapies May Increase Risk of Severe COVID-19 in Patients With MS
November 17th 2021Anti-CD20 disease-modifying therapies, including rituximab and ocrelizumab, were found to increase the risk of hospitalization and intensive care unit admission in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who develop COVID-19, investigators concluded in this new study.
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Study Identifies Factors Influencing the Degree of Disability in MS
November 10th 2021Drug use, serum albumin, and total number of lesions may serve as independent factors influencing the degree of disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), investigators of a retrospective analysis concluded.
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Atypical Radiological, Lab Findings Linked to Choice of Therapy in Patients With MS
November 7th 2021Choice of therapy to manage multiple sclerosis (MS) and prevent relapse was found to influence radiological and laboratory results, including lesion presentation, giving insight into the paraclinical characteristics of patients receiving different MS therapies.
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Patients With MS Have Similar Risks for COVID-19 Complications vs Other Populations
November 3rd 2021Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) had similar factors associated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes vs other populations, but these risks were found to decrease with subsequent COVID-19 waves, investigators found.
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Study: Video Game Therapy Has Minimal Effect on Postural Balance in Patients With MS
November 1st 2021Video game therapy was found to have a minor impact on postural balance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, more research is needed to determine whether it should be recommended in clinical practice, investigators concluded.
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Patients With MS Testing Positive for COVID-19 Saw Worse Depressive, Anxiety Symptoms
October 29th 2021A recent study found patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic prior to vaccine rollout, especially among those who tested positive for COVID-19.
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Study Finds Some Disease-Modifying Therapies Reduce COVID-19 Protective Immunity in Patients With MS
October 6th 2021Some immunosuppressive medications, particularly anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, were found to reduce antibodies designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have recovered from COVID-19, investigators concluded.
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Vaccine Myths Detected as Major Reason for Low Vaccination Rates Among Patients With MS
September 23rd 2021Misconceptions about the safety and necessity of vaccines were cited as the main reasons for lower-than-recommended vaccination rates among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research.
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MS Disability, Symptoms Are Worse in Non-White Patients, Study Finds
September 16th 2021Non-white patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly African American and Hispanic American patients, were found to experience a higher level of overall disability and more severe symptoms, highlighting current disparities in this disease.
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Study: COVID-19 Barriers Halted, Delayed Research on MS Rehabilitation, Quality of Life
September 8th 2021In a survey, researchers indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed extra barriers, including a lack of accessibility to patients and competing responsibilities, that have resulted in halts or delays to research on multiple sclerosis (MS) rehabilitation and quality of life.
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Study Finds Potential Biomarkers for Cognitive Decline in MS Over 5-Year Period
August 16th 2021Investigators found that biomarkers for neurodegeneration and inflammation could also aid providers in detecting declines in cognition and information processing speed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) over a 5-year period.
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Single-Leg Heel Test May Be Useful Tool for Differentiating Limb Strength in MS
August 12th 2021The single-leg heel test was able to differentiate between weaker and stronger limbs in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and in healthy controls, suggesting that the test could prove useful for identifying impaired muscle performance.
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Diagnose, Monitor, Treat: How AI’s 3-Pronged Approach Can Help to Propel Progress in MS
August 5th 2021Using artificial intelligence (AI) effectively may help to revolutionize the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as optimizing understanding of the immune-mediated disease.
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