Early predictive risk factors for dimethyl fumarate-associated lymphopenia in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Lymphopenia is a major concern in MS patients treated with dimethyl-fumarate (DMF) as it increases the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. A pronounced reduction in absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) early after treatment initiation has been suggested to be associated with the occurrence of lymphopenia thereafter.

Objectives: To identify risk factors for DMF-induced lymphopenia and evaluate whether the degree of decrease in the ALCs three months after initiation of DMF treatment is a predictor of the subsequent development of lymphopenia.

Risk and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background And Purpose: Limited information is available on incidence and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigated the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related outcomes in patients with MS, and compared these with the general population.

Methods: A regional registry was created to collect data on incidence, hospitalization rates, intensive care unit admission, and death in patients with MS and COVID-19.

Cerebrospinal fluid mitochondrial DNA levels in patients with multiple sclerosis.

The role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels as biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS) is unknown. We determined CSF mtDNA levels in a cohort of 237 individuals, including patients with MS and clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), inflammatory and non-inflammatory neurological controls, and cognitively healthy controls (HC). mtDNA concentration was measured by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction.