Is it Long Covid or Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms?

March 4, 2024

The North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) registry analyses presented at the 2024 Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum indicated a relatively low risk of long COVID in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Only 1.5% of MS patients met post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC – also known as Long Covid) criteria. However, 15.7% of MS patients with COVID-19 reported persistent symptoms after six months, comparable to 17.2% of those without COVID-19 or other infections. Dr. Robert Fox highlighted challenges in distinguishing COVID-19 symptoms from MS symptoms, noting the need for tailored assessment criteria.

Another analysis by Dr. Amber Salter and colleagues revealed infrequent new persistent symptoms after infections, with differences observed between COVID-19 and other infections, suggesting a complex interaction in symptom development.

Both presentations highlight the importance of understanding the unique impact of COVID-19 and Long Covid on MS patients and the challenges in distinguishing COVID-19 symptoms from MS symptoms.

Citations for report:

ACTRIMS. P274. Characterizing Post-acute Sequelae of COVID-19 in NARCOMS

ACTRIMS. P275. Symptom Comparison After Infections Among People With MS