Predictors of hypogammaglobulinemia and serious infections among patients receiving ocrelizumab or rituximab for treatment of MS and NMOSD.

Background And Objectives: Ocrelizumab and rituximab are monoclonal antibodies targeting the CD20 marker on B lymphocytes. The enhanced efficacy of B lymphocyte depleting therapies poses a greater risk of decreased immunoglobulin (Ig) levels. The rate and risk factors of hypogammaglobulinemia in MS and NMOSD patients treated with anti-CD20 therapies are unknown.

The humoral response to SARS-COV-2 vaccines in MS patients: A case series exploring the impact of DMT, lymphocyte count, immunoglobulins, and vaccine type.

Background & Objectives: Certain disease modifying therapies may negatively impact the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Many MS related clinical, demographic, and immunological characteristics can also affect vaccine response but those have not been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate potential correlations between clinical, demographic, and immunological variables in MS patients to post-vaccination spike protein antibody positivity rates and levels.

Multiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying Therapy and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications on the Risk of Infection and Future Vaccination.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is expected to linger. Decisions regarding initiation or continuation of disease-modifying therapy for multiple sclerosis have to consider the potential relevance to the pandemic. Understanding the mechanism of action and the possible idiosyncratic effects of each therapeutic agent on the immune system is imperative during this special time.