The Turkish experience of COVID-19 infection in people with NMOSD and MOGAD: A milder course?

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

COVID-19 is a multisystemic infection with variables consequences depending on individual and comorbid conditions. The course and outcomes of COVID-19 during neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD) are not clearly known.

OBJECTIVE/METHODS:

The aim of this study was to examine the features and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in NMOSD and MOGAD patients. The patients' demographic and clinical factors, disease modifying treatment (DMT) used and disease information of COVID-19 infection were recorded. Conditions leading to hospitalization and severe exposure to COVID-19 infection were also analyzed.

RESULTS:

The study included 63 patients from 25 centers. Thirty-two patients (50.8%) belong to AQP-4 seropositive group, 13 (20.6%) and 18 (28.6%) were in MOG-positive and double-seronegative groups, respectively. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection and hospitalization were advanced age, high disability level and the presence of comorbid disease. Disease severity was found to be high in double-seronegative NMOSD and low in MOGAD patients. No statistically significant effect of DMTs on disease severity and hospitalization was found.

CONCLUSION:

In NMOSD and MOGAD patients, advanced age, high disability and presence of comorbid disease pose risks for severe COVID-19 infection. There was no direct significant effect of DMTs for COVID-19 infection.

• Authors: Sedat Sen, Asli Tuncer, Serkan Ozakbas, Cihat Uzunkopru, Cavid Baba, Serkan Demir, Yesim Beckmann, Haluk Gumus, Gokhan Arslan, Ahmet Kasim Kilic, Ayse Altintas, Nur Yuceyar, Omer Faruk Turan, Melih Tutuncu, Murat Terzi, Pinar Acar, Sena Destan Bunul, Belgin Petek Balci, Levent Sinan Bir, Mesrure Koseoglu, Semra Mungan, Tuncay Gunduz, Ipek Gungor Dogan, Dilcan Kotan, Ugur Uygunoglu, Ozgul Ekmekci, Meltem Demirkiran, Ozden Kamisli, Sibel Canbaz Kabay, Yusuf Tamam, Sami Omerhoca, Serhan Sevim, Sibel Guler, Murat Kurtuncu, Husnu Efendi, Rana Karabudak, Aksel Siva
• Journal: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders (Mult Scler Relat Disord) Vol. 58 Pg. 103399 (Feb 2022) ISSN: 2211-0356 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 35216782 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Aquaporin 4
• Autoantibodies
• Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein

Topics

• Aquaporin 4
• Autoantibodies (therapeutic use)
• COVID-19 (complications)
• Humans
• Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein
• Neuromyelitis Optica (complications, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• SARS-CoV-2