scholarly journals Protecting people with multiple sclerosis through vaccination

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 435.1-445
Author(s):  
Saúl Reyes ◽  
Mary Ramsay ◽  
Shamez Ladhani ◽  
Gayatri Amirthalingam ◽  
Neena Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Patient Education ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Specific Advice ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
To Receive

Vaccination is one of the most effective and cost-efficient methods for protecting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from infections. However, use of vaccines has often been problematic because of misguided concerns that they may exacerbate the disease and/or that some disease-modifying therapies may influence the immune response to immunisations and/or their safety. People with MS risk higher morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable infections. It is, therefore, important to address any patient’s reluctance to accept vaccination and to provide clear guidance for clinicians on which vaccinations to consider proactively. We have reviewed the current literature and provide recommendations regarding vaccines in adults with MS, including specific advice regarding vaccination safety in patients receiving—or going to receive—disease-modifying therapies, vaccination during pregnancy, pretravel counselling and patient education.

scholarly journals Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 175628642110128
Author(s):  
Anat Achiron ◽  
Mathilda Mandel ◽  
Sapir Dreyer-Alster ◽  
Gil Harari ◽  
David Magalashvili ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Humoral Immunity ◽  
Lymphocyte Count ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Vaccine Dose ◽  
Humoral Response ◽  
High Efficacy ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Disease Modifying

Background and Aims: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society and other expert organizations recommended that all patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) should be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, the effect of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the efficacy to mount an appropriate immune response is unknown. We aimed to characterize humoral immunity in mRNA-COVID-19 MS vaccinees treated with high-efficacy DMTs. Methods: We measured SARS-CoV-2 IgG response using anti-spike protein-based serology (EUROIMMUN) in 125 MS patients vaccinated with BNT162b2-COVID-19 vaccine 1 month after the second dose. Patients were either untreated or under treatment with fingolimod, cladribine, or ocrelizumab. A group of healthy subjects similarly vaccinated served as control. The percent of subjects that developed protective antibodies, the titer, and the time from the last dosing were evaluated. Results: Protective humoral immunity of 97.9%, 100%, 100%, 22.7%, and 3.8%, was observed in COVID-19 vaccinated healthy subjects ( N = 47), untreated MS patients ( N = 32), and MS patients treated with cladribine ( N = 23), ocrelizumab ( N = 44), and fingolimod ( N = 26), respectively. SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titer was high in healthy subjects, untreated MS patients, and MS patients under cladribine treatment, within 29.5–55 days after the second vaccine dose. Only 22.7% of patients treated with ocrelizumab developed humoral IgG response irrespective to normal absolute lymphocyte count. Most fingolimod-treated MS patients had very low lymphocyte count and failed to develop SARS-COV-2 antibodies. Age, disease duration, and time from the last dosing did not affect humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions: Cladribine treatment does not impair humoral response to COVID-19 vaccination. We recommend postponing ocrelizumab treatment in MS patients willing to be vaccinated as a protective humoral response can be expected only in some. We do not recommend vaccinating MS patients treated with fingolimod as a protective humoral response is not expected.

scholarly journals Effect of Different Disease-Modifying Therapies on Humoral Response to BNT162b2 Vaccine in Sardinian Multiple Sclerosis Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maristella Pitzalis ◽  
Maria Laura Idda ◽  
Valeria Lodde ◽  
Annalisa Loizedda ◽  
Monia Lobina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Humoral Response ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Humoral Responses ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesVaccination against COVID-19 is highly recommended to patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the impact of MS disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the immune response following vaccination has been only partially investigated. Here, we aimed to elucidate the effect of DMTs on the humoral immune response to mRNA-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in MS patients.MethodsWe obtained sera from 912 Sardinian MS patients and 63 healthy controls 30 days after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and tested them for SARS-CoV-2 response using anti-Spike (S) protein-based serology. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was assessed by anti-Nucleocapsid (N) serology. Patients were either untreated or undergoing treatment with a total of 13 different DMTs. Differences between treatment groups comprised of at least 10 patients were assessed by generalized linear mixed-effects model. Demographic and clinical data and smoking status were analyzed as additional factors potentially influencing humoral immunity from COVID-19 vaccine.ResultsMS patients treated with natalizumab, teriflunomide, azathioprine, fingolimod, ocrelizumab, and rituximab showed significantly lower humoral responses compared to untreated patients. We did not observe a statistically significant difference in response between patients treated with the other drugs (dimethyl fumarate, interferon, alemtuzumab and glatiramer acetate) and untreated patients. In addition, older age, male sex and active smoking were significantly associated with lower antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2. MS patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had significantly higher humoral responses to vaccine than uninfected patients.ConclusionHumoral response to BNT162b2 is significantly influenced by the specific DMTs followed by patients, as well as by other factors such as previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, age, sex, and smoking status. These results are important to inform targeted strategies to prevent clinically relevant COVID-19 in MS patients.

scholarly journals Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in MS patients on disease modifying therapies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pia Sormani ◽  
Irene Schiavetti ◽  
Matilde Inglese ◽  
Luca Carmisciano ◽  
Alice Laroni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Cumulative Incidence ◽  
Vaccine Dose ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Antibody Levels ◽  
The Impact

Background. Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) treated with anti-CD20 or fingolimod showed a reduced humoral response to mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, while the degree of such responses is unimpaired and similar in pwMS treated with other disease modifying therapies (DMTs), or untreated. However, the nature of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immune response is based also on cellular immunity and there is emerging evidence that anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses can be detected after vaccination also in patients with low antibody levels. In this study we aimed to monitor the risk of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection and to identify correlates of reduced protection in frail vaccinated pwMS on different DMTs. Methods. We designed a long term clinical follow-up of the CovaXiMS (Covid-19 vaccine in Multiple Sclerosis) , a prospective multicenter cohort study enrolling pwMS scheduled for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with mRNA vaccines and tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies before and after the second vaccine dose. These patients were followed with periodic phone calls up to a mean time of 6 months, and all the SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections were registered. The impact of DMTs on cumulative incidence of breakthrough Covid-19 cases was presented by Kaplan-Meier curves. A multivariable logistic model was run to assess factors associated to a higher risk of breakthrough infections. Findings. 1705 pwMS (81.6% BNT162b2 and 18.4% mRNA-1273) had a full vaccination cycle (2 vaccine doses, 21/28 days apart). Of them, 1509 (88.5%) had blood assessment 4 weeks after the second vaccine dose. During follow-up, 23 breakthrough Covid-19 infections (cumulative incidence: 1.5%, SE=0.3%) were detected after a mean of 108 days after the second dose (range, 18-230). Of them, 9 were on ocrelizumab, one on rituximab, 4 on fingolimod, 6 on dimethyl-fumarate, one on teriflunomide, and 2 were untreated. Just two cases (a woman on ocrelizumab and a man on teriflunomide) required hospitalization. The probability to be infected was associated only with SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels measured after 4 weeks from the second vaccine dose (HR=0.63, p=0.007); an antibody level of 660 U/mL was calculated as the cut-off for higher risk of infection. Interpretation. Our data show that the risk of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections is mainly associated with reduced levels of the virus-specific humoral immune response. Funding. FISM [2021/Special-Multi/001]; the Italian Ministry of Health grant Progetto Z844A 5x1000. Italian Ministry of Health: Ricerca Corrente to IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino.

scholarly journals Effect of different disease-modifying therapies on humoral response to BNT162b2 vaccine in Sardinian multiple sclerosis patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maristella Pitzalis ◽  
Maria Laura Idda ◽  
Valeria Lodde ◽  
Annalisa Loizedda ◽  
Monia Lobina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Humoral Response ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Humoral Responses ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Vaccination against COVID-19 is highly recommended to patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the impact of MS disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on the immune response following vaccination has been only partially investigated. Here, we aimed to elucidate the effect of DMTs on the humoral immune response to mRNA-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in MS patients. Methods: We obtained sera from 912 Sardinian MS patients and 63 healthy controls 30 days after the second dose of BNT162b2 vaccine and tested them for SARS-CoV-2 response using anti-Spike (S) protein-based serology. Previous SARS-CoV-2 infection was assessed by anti-Nucleocapsid (N) serology. Patients were either untreated or undergoing treatment with a total of 13 different DMTs. Differences between treatment groups comprised of at least 10 patients were assessed by generalized linear mixed-effects model. Demographic and clinical data and smoking status were analyzed as additional factors potentially influencing humoral immunity from COVID-19 vaccine. Results: MS patients treated with natalizumab, teriflunomide, azathioprine, fingolimod, ocrelizumab, and rituximab showed significantly lower humoral responses compared to untreated patients. We did not observe a statistically significant difference in response between patients treated with the other drugs (dimethyl fumarate, interferon, alemtuzumab and glatiramer acetate) and untreated patients. In addition, older age, male sex and active smoking were significantly associated with lower antibody titers against SARS-CoV-2. MS patients previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had significantly higher humoral responses to vaccine than uninfected patients. Conclusion: Humoral response to BNT162b2 is significantly influenced by the specific DMTs followed by patients, as well as by other factors such as previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, age, sex, and smoking status. These results are important to inform targeted strategies to prevent clinically relevant COVID-19 in MS patients.

scholarly journals Disease-Modifying Therapies During the COVID-19 Outbreak

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smathorn Thakolwiboon ◽  
Hannah Zhao-Fleming ◽  
Jie Pan ◽  
Jordan Knecht Scott ◽  
Eri Shoji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Disease Modifying Therapies ◽  
Disease Modifying ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Google Search

Abstract Background: Managing multiple sclerosis (MS) during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a challenge due to the lack of evidence from clinical studies. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may affect the immune response and subsequently alter the risk of COVID-19 infections. Methods: A literature search was conducted on the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane databases. A focused Google search was also performed. Recommendations regarding the use of DMTs during the COVID-19 outbreak from national and international MS/neurology societies were identified and reviewed. Results: The review included 16 recommendations from international and national MS organizations. All recommendations are based on expert opinions. The recommendations regarding DMT initiation and management during this outbreak are summarized. Moreover, the experts’ views about the risk of COVID-19 infection with each DMT are discussed. Conclusions: There is significant agreement among most experts’ recommendations from a variety of sources based on collective clinical experience. However, the recommendations will likely evolve because sufficient clinical data are limited. Several ongoing registries will help provide information for future recommendations.

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