Displaying One Session

Special Session COVID-19 Sat, Sep 26, 2020
Moderators
Session Type
Special Session COVID-19
Date
Sat, Sep 26, 2020
Time (ET)
10:45 - 12:15
COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.01 - COVID-19 in people with MS: A large community-based study of the UK MS Register

Speakers
Presentation Number
SS02.01
Presentation Topic
COVID-19
Lecture Time
10:45 - 10:57

Abstract

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has introduced uncertainties into the multiple sclerosis (MS) community and the focus so far has been the severity of infection among people with MS (pwMS) who have COVID-19. This approach has left questions about the risk of contracting disease in pwMS unanswered which has implications as society gradually returns to normal.

Objectives

To evaluate the trend of COVID-19 incidence in pwMS, their behaviour in response to the outbreak, and the effect of their demographic and clinical characteristics on the likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

Methods

The United Kingdom MS Register (UKMSR) has been collecting demographic and MS related data since 2011 from pwMS all over the UK. On 17 March 2020, existing participants of the UKMSR were asked to join the COVID-19 study. The study was also advertised through social media. In this on-going study, pwMS answer a COVID-19 related survey at participation and a different follow-up survey every two weeks depending on whether they report COVID-19.

Results

We estimate the nationwide overall incidence of COVID-19 in pwMS as 10% (n=522) among 5237 participants until 24 June 2020. The weekly incidence peaked during the 2nd week after lockdown started on 23 March 2020 (13.2%) and remained high until it dropped to 3.5% in the 10th week. The mean (standard deviation) age of the study population was 52.4 (11.9), 76.1% (n=3985) were female, and 95.7% (n=5012) were of white ethnicity. PwMS with a higher web-based Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score are more likely to self-isolate (odds ratio [OR] 1.389, 95%CI [confidence interval] 1.333−1.447). PwMS who are taking disease modifying therapies (DMTs) and those with progressive MS tend to self-isolate more (OR 1.259, 95%CI 1.059−1.497 and OR 1.245, 95% CI 1.013−1.531, respectively). Older age, progressive MS, and white ethnicity were associated with a lower likelihood of having COVID-19 (OR 0.969, 95%CI 0.957−0.982 and OR 0.595, 95% 0.422−0.838 and OR 0.495, 95%CI 0.347−0.705, respectively). Gender, EDSS, MS Impact Scale version 29 scores and DMTs did not alter the likelihood of contracting COVID-19.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the largest community-based study of COVID-19 in pwMS worldwide. The trend of COVID-19 in pwMS is comparable to that of the UK general population. During a period with strict physical distancing measures, pwMS are not at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.02 - Comparison of COVID-19 outcomes between racial groups in the COViMS registry

Speakers
Presentation Number
SS02.02
Presentation Topic
COVID-19
Lecture Time
10:57 - 11:09

Abstract

Background

Risk factors previously identified for worse outcomes with SARS-CoV-2 infections include older age, male sex and specific comorbid conditions. An increased risk for poorer COVID-19 outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are similar to the general population, but less is known about outcomes in minority groups with MS.

Objectives

To evaluate differences in outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in non-Hispanic White and Black persons with multiple sclerosis.

Methods

COViMS is a North American registry for health care providers to report persons with MS who are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (cases). Cases are reported after 7 days and when the outcome of infection is reasonably certain. MS and clinically isolated syndrome cases were categorized using the Center for Disease Control and Prevention races (non-Hispanic Whites, and Black). Comorbidities related to COVID-19 outcomes were collected. Clinical outcomes examined were mortality alone, mortality and/or admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality, ICU admissions and/or hospitalization. Age-adjusted mortality rates as of August 3, 2020 and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess adjusted differences between races using odds ratios (OR) and 95% CIs. Covariates included sex, age, smoking (current, past, never), MS clinical course (relapsing, progressive), disease duration, ambulation (fully ambulatory, walks with assistance, non-ambulatory), individual comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, hypertension, morbid obesity), and disease modifying therapy use (yes vs no).

Results

Of 734 patients reported, 421 (57.4%) Whites, and 194 (26.5%) Black patients were reported. Black cases were more likely to be younger (p=0.002), never smokers (p=0.002), have shorter MS duration (p<0.001), a relapsing MS course (p=0.03) and have comorbidities (p<0.001) compared to Whites. A higher proportion of Black patients had hypertension (40.2% vs 19.5%, p<0.001), and morbid obesity (17.0% vs 9.5%, p=0.007). Mortality rates increased with age and were not statistically different between Whites and Blacks (p=0.156). Black race was associated with increased odds of mortality and/or ICU admission (OR 3.8 [95%CI: 1.60, 8.96], p=0.002) and mortality, ICU admission and/or hospitalization (OR 2.0 [95%CI: 1.14, 3.54], p=0.016) after adjustment for covariates.

Conclusions

Within the COViMS registry, Black MS patients were younger and more likely to have comorbidities than White MS patients. Black MS patients had an increased risk for poorer outcomes compared to Whites even after adjusting for comorbidities at the time of COVID-19.

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COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.03 - Evidence of an Increased Burden of Humoral Autoimmunity in the CSF and plasma of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbid Neurologic Dysfunction

Speakers
Presentation Number
SS02.03
Presentation Topic
COVID-19
Lecture Time
11:09 - 11:21

Abstract

Background

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is the most globally impactful pandemic of the past century. The causative pathogen, SARS-CoV-2, infects ACE2-expressing cells and leads to pulmonary disease and a systemic immune response. In patients with severe COVID-19, a dysregulated immune response is associated with secondary extrapulmonary dysfunction, including neurological symptoms. Neurologic complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection are increasingly recognized, yet it is unknown to what degree humoral autoimmunity is a feature of neurological impairment in COVID-19.

Objectives

To perform an unbiased survey of peripheral and central humoral autoimmunity in COVID-19 patients with neurologic dysfunction.

Methods

Paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma biospecimens were collected from nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive patients with comorbid neurologic impairment (n = 5). Additional unpaired CSF biospecimens were collected from neurologically impaired NP PCR positive patients (n = 3). All COVID-19 patients were PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2 in the CSF. CSF and plasma were also collected from SARS-CoV-2 uninfected healthy control volunteers. Neurologic syndromes were diverse and included myositis, seizures, and encephalopathy. Biospecimens were screened in replicate by mouse brain immunostaining, immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry (IP-MS), and human peptidome phage display immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-Seq). IP-MS spectra were analyzed by both spectral counting and MS1 peak area. For PhIP-Seq, proteins with overlapping peptides that were enriched at least 10-fold above control samples, or single peptides enriched 100-fold above controls were considered candidate autoantigens. Candidate autoantigens identified by at least two of three methods (PhIP-Seq, spectral counting, and peak area) were carried forward for validation.

Results

Unexpectedly, seven of eight COVID-19 CSF samples had evidence of humoral autoimmunity by tissue staining (n = 7), and IP-MS (n = 6), PhIP-Seq (n = 7), or both (n = 6). By IP-MS, significantly more candidate autoantigens were identified in COVID-19 biospecimens than in uninfected controls. PhIP-Seq identified twice as many candidate autoantigens in COVID-19 biospecimens than in controls. Notably, COVID-19 biospecimens were enriched for clinically relevant candidate autoantigens including those associated with dermatomyositis, and myasthenia gravis (none known to be pre-existing comorbidities). Additionally, COVID-19 biospecimens were enriched for candidate autoantigens with prima facie clinical relevance as they targeted proteins enriched in skeletal muscle, endothelial cells, and at the synapse. One candidate autoantibody targeted a ciliary protein implicated in syndromic anosmia.

Conclusions

We identified evidence of an increased burden of humoral autoimmunity in COVID-19 patients with comorbid neurologic dysfunction.

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COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.04 - First results of the COVID-19 in MS Global Data Sharing Initiative suggest anti-CD20 DMTs are associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes

Abstract

Background

As the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies, efforts to minimise the risk on vulnerable people are essential. People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be a vulnerable group due to the high proportion taking long-term immunosuppressive disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Studies from Italy and France suggest older age, higher disability and progressive MS are associated with severe COVID-19, yet there remains uncertainty around the influence of DMTs.

Objectives

Given the many approved MS DMTs and the relatively low frequency of COVID-19 in MS patients per country, international data sharing is desirable to examine the impact of DMTs on COVID-19 severity. Here, we present the first results of the COVID-19 in MS global data sharing initiative of the MS International Federation and MS Data Alliance and many other data partners to inform MS clinical management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Clinician-reported data from 21 countries were aggregated into a dataset of 1540 patients. Characteristics of admission to hospital, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), need for artificial ventilation, and death, were assessed in patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection using log-binomial regression. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) were calculated adjusting for age, sex, MS type, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Results

Of 1540 patients, 476 (30.9%) with suspected and 776 (50.4%) with confirmed COVID-19 were included in the analysis. Older age, progressive MS and higher EDSS were associated with higher frequencies of severe outcomes. Anti-CD20 DMTs, ocrelizumab and rituximab, were positively associated with hospital admission (aPRs=1.19 & 1.58), ICU admission (aPRs=3.53 & 4.12), and the need for artificial ventilation (aPRs=3.17 & 7.27) compared to dimethyl fumarate. Higher frequencies of all three outcomes were associated with combined anti-CD20 DMT use compared to all other DMTs (hospitalisation aPR=1.49; ICU aPR=2.55; ventilation aPR=3.05) and compared to natalizumab (hospitalisation aPR=1.99; ICU aPR=2.39; ventilation aPR=2.84). Importantly, associations persisted on restriction to confirmed COVID-19 cases and upon exclusion of each contributing data source in turn. No associations were observed between DMTs and death.

Conclusions

This study used the largest federated international cohort of people with MS and COVID19 currently available. We demonstrate a consistent association of anti-CD20 DMTs with hospitalisation, ICU admission and use of artificial ventilation suggesting their use among MS patients at risk for COVID-19 exposure may be a risk factor for more severe COVID-19 disease. To address study limitations, further research incorporating comorbidities, smoking and body mass index is required. Alternative study designs are needed to address questions on COVID-19 susceptibility among people with MS.

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COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.05 - COVID-19 in persons with multiple sclerosis treated with ocrelizumab: pharmacovigilance update

Speakers
Presentation Number
SS02.05
Presentation Topic
COVID-19
Lecture Time
11:33 - 11:45

Abstract

Background

Limited evidence-based data exist on potential risks of COVID-19 infection in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) receiving immunotherapy. More than 160,000 pwMS have been treated with ocrelizumab (OCR), in clinical trial and real-world settings; data continue to show a consistent and favorable benefit/risk profile.

Objectives

To present a summary of postmarketing pharmacovigilance data (as of May 31, 2020) from pwMS treated with OCR, who have either confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

Methods

Pharmacovigilance-reported adverse event (AE) COVID-19 cases, identified in a search of the Roche Global Safety Database using MedDRA preferred terms and string searches, were defined as valid when at least an identifiable reporter, a single identifiable patient, a medicinal product and a suspected AE were provided. Cases were designated as serious if described by the reporter as serious according to their judgment or if adjudicated as serious by the company when regulatory definitions were met. Patient characteristics and details of OCR treatment were usually provided. All cases were conservatively considered as having confirmed COVID-19. Outcome was classified as recovered, recovering, not recovered, fatal, or not reported.

Results

Of 201 cases, 61% (n=122/201) were reported as non-serious, and 39% (n=79/201) were reported as serious, mostly due to hospitalization (n=51/79). Where known, reasons for hospitalization included, among others, treatment of pneumonia and treatment in ICU. Serious cases were reported as recovered/recovering in 32% (n=25/79) of patients, whilst the outcome was not reported in 33% (n=26/79) of serious cases. A fatal outcome was reported in 5.5% (n=11/201) of patients; risk factors included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, respiratory disease, and malignancy. Updated assessment of the pharmacovigilance cases will be presented.

Conclusions

Taking into account the known limitations of postmarketing safety data, this analysis appears to be in line with published larger case series of non-MS and MS COVID-19 patients. Risk factors in fatal cases were similar to known risk factors reported in the general population.

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COVID-19 Late Breaking Abstracts

SS02.06 - Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background

Risk factors associated with the severity of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) begin to be identified from several cohort studies. Disease modifying therapies (DMTs) may modify the risk of developing a severe COVID-19 infection, beside identified risk factors such as age and comorbidities.

Objectives

The objective was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and to identify the factors associated with COVID-19 severity.

Methods

This multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study (COVISEP registry, NCT04355611) included patients with MS presenting with a confirmed or highly suspected diagnosis of COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and July 14, 2020. The main outcome was COVID-19 severity assessed on a 7-point ordinal scale (ranging from 1: not hospitalized, no limitations on activities, to 7: death; cutoff at 3: hospitalized, not requiring supplemental oxygen). We collected demographics, neurological history, Expanded Disability Severity Score (EDSS), comorbidities, COVID-19 characteristics and outcome. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the influence of collected variables on COVID-19 outcome.

Results

A total of 405 patients (mean age: 44.7 years, female/male: 293/112, mean disease duration: 13.4 years) were analyzed. Seventy-eight patients (19.3%) had a COVID-19 severity score ≥ 3, and 12 patients (3.0%) died from COVID-19. Median EDSS was 2.0 (range: 0-9.5), 326 patients (80.5%) were on DMT. There was a higher proportion of patients with COVID-19 severity score ≥ 3 among patients with no DMT relative to patients on DMTs (39.2% versus 14.4%, p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression models determined that age (OR for 10 years: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.4-2.4), EDSS (OR for EDSS ≥ 6: 4.5, 95% CI: 2.0-10.0) were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity score ≥ 3 (hospitalization or higher severity) while immunomodulatory treatment (interferon or glatiramer acetate) was associated with lower risk of COVID-19 severity score ≥ 3 (OR: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.05-0.8). EDSS was associated with the highest variability of COVID-19 severe outcome (R2= 0.18), followed by age (R2= 0.06) and immunomodulatory treatment (R2= 0.02).

Conclusions

EDSS and age were independent risk factors of severe COVID-19, while exposure to immunomodulatory DMTs (interferon and glatiramer acetate) were independently associated with lower COVID-19 severity. We did not find an association between other DMTs exposure (including immunosuppressive therapies) and COVID-19 severity. The identification of these risk factors should provide the rationale for an individual strategy regarding clinical management of MS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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