Epidemiology Poster Presentation

LB1147 - Multivitamin, Vitamin C and Vitamin D Pills Self-Medication in Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Montenegro During COVID-19 Pandemic (ID 428)

Speakers
  • M. Roganovic
Authors
  • M. Roganovic
  • L. Radulovic
  • J. Erakovic
Presentation Number
LB1147
Presentation Topic
Epidemiology

Abstract

Background

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has shaken all countries of the world, and especially their health systems. In the days of fear and uncertainty, many chronic patients, including patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), began to use vitamin supplements in order to strengthen immunity and protect against the new SARS-Cov2 virus.

Objectives

The aim of our study was to determine how the COVID-19 epidemic in Montenegro, a small Balkan country with 631.219 inhabitants, affected the intake of vitamin preparations in patients with MS.

Methods

The research was conducted through an online-generated questionnaire during the days with the highest number of virus cases in Montenegro.

Results

In total, we received 101 responses (response rate was 77.7%). The sample was composed of 25 male (24.7%) and 76 female (75.3%) patients with mean age of 39.4±8.7 years. In our group, 40 patients (39.6%), due to the COVID-19 epidemic, started taking vitamin C preparations, and among them there were statistically more males, and it was noticed that as the age of patients and the duration of the disease increased the frequency of taking vitamin C preparations is also growing. The largest number of our respondents (78, ie 77.2%) used vitamin D supplements during the epidemic, but the largest number of them (73, ie 72.3%) used it even before the epidemic outbreak. The group that does not use vitamin D preparations is statistically younger than the population that uses them. Regarding multivitamin preparations, due to the epidemic of the new virus 33 of our respondents (32.7%) started using them, and among them there are statistically more males, as well as those living in the regions of Montenegro that were affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. The group that does not use multivitamin preparations is less afraid for the further course of their disease and believes that there is a lower risk of getting SARS-Cov2 virus.

Conclusions

The recent COVID-19 epidemic has influenced MS patients from Montenegro to intensify their intake of vitamin preparations in order to strengthen immunity and prevent SARS-Cov2 infection.

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