(Multiple Sclerosis Journal) COVID-19 in patients with MS on DMTs

[agate]

The Multiple Sclerosis Journal isn't nearly as well known as some medical journals, and may not be regarded as a very reliable source of information but it's been around for quite a while. Also, a couple of the authors of this article have ties to the drug companies. So I'm not sure how trustworthy this information is, but they seem to be saying that if you have MS and are on one of the interferon MS drugs or glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), you just might be somewhat protected against COVID-19:

Type 1 IFN


Recombinant type 1 IFN drugs are used, among other indications, as first-line treatment in MS (IFN-β).

Many studies have evaluated the impact of treatment with type 1 IFN on coronaviruses infection, mostly showing a therapeutic effect . Based on the antiviral effects of type I IFN, and on the dampening of type I IFN responses in the host by coronaviruses, MS patients who are being treated with IFN-β are likely to be at lower risk of COVID-19 or of its severe forms . In line with this hypothesis, the Italian cohort showed a decreased frequency of MS patients treated with IFN-β in the COVID-19 cohort as compared to the expected frequency in the Italian market, indicating a possible protective effect of IFN on the risk of symptom development. An updated analysis of the French cohort, presented at the MS Virtual Conference 2020, revealed a protective effect on the risk of severe COVID-19 in patients treated with IFN-β or glatiramer acetate (GA).

GA



GA is a mixture of synthetic polypeptides with immunomodulatory features, approved for the treatment of relapsing–remitting (RR) MS (RRMS). Published evidence so far suggests a neutral effect of GA on SARS-CoV2 infection or even a protective effect of the treatment (

(Emphasis added. References omitted in the above quotation.)


The whole article, in Multiple Sclerosis Journal (November 18, 2020)--"COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis undergoing disease-modifying treatments"--can be seen here:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/ful...52458520971817

For the first time in the 9 years since I quit Copaxone, I'm tempted to ask if I could go back on it. I keep wondering how reliable this information is.

[Howie]

Interesting.

[agate]

I'm tempted not to trust evidence that comes from medical researchers with ties to drug companies. But the problem with that is that so many of them have such ties--the vast majority of those who are listed as authors of research articles.

[Virginia]

I notice it doesn't mention interferon beta 1A.

[agate]

I think that the interferon-ϐ they're talking about is all of the interferon drugs used for MS--Avonex, Rebif, Betaseron. Avonex and Rebif are interferon-ϐ-1a and Betaseron is interferon-ϐ-1b.

[Howie]

Look at the big brain on Agate!

[agate]

Next thing you know, I'll be hanging out a shingle advertising myself as an expert on something. Or on everything!

I'm contacting the MS Society by e-mail and asking how trustworthy the evidence in the article is.

[Howie]

Just make sure that shingle doesn't mention dentistry. That one is taken!

[agate]

Just so everyone here can see that the medical world is trying hard for a vaccine, here is a notice about how OHSU (Oregon Health Sciences University) here in town is looking for 30,000 volunteers for a Phase 3 trial of a COVID-19 vaccine. This is the AstroZeneca vaccine:

https://www.c19vaccinestudy.com/#!/

[Lazarus]

I am so grateful for all the scientists working so hard and the volunteers willing to test the vaccines. There is so much goodness in this world.