Multiple sclerosis treatment underutilization predicts high risk for obstructive sleep apnea in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) than in the general population, which suggests MS may predispose patients to OSA. However, the relationships between MS treatment, disease activity, disease severity, fatigue, and OSA are unknown.

Objectives: To evaluate the connections between OSA risk, MS fatigue, and MS severity, controlling for well-established risk factors for OSA in the general population.

Worsening of lymphopenia in patients with multiple sclerosis when switched from dimethyl fumarate to diroximel fumarate.

Background: Diroximel fumarate (DRF) and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) are similar disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) that reduce disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). We expect that patients on DRF would experience a similar incidence and severity of lymphopenia, given that it is a well-documented side effect of DMF treatment.

Methods: We utilized linear mixed-effects models to test for differences in white blood cell count (WBC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), absolute CD3+ count, absolute CD4+ count, and absolute CD8+ count over time in clinically stable patients with MS on DMF who switched to DRF.