Post-acute sequela of COVID-19 infection in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Many common symptoms in post-acute sequelae following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) overlap with those of multiple sclerosis (MS). We examined symptoms and performance of the PASC score, developed in the general population, in MS based on infection history.

Methods: We surveyed North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) registry participants regarding infections and categorized participants based on infection history. Symptoms experienced before, during, and after infection were used to identify persistent new symptoms. PASC was defined as a score ⩾ 12 based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) study RECOVER.

Results: Of 4787 participants surveyed, 2927 were included: 294 (10%) having recent COVID-19; 853 (29.1%) recent non-COVID-19 infection; 246 (8.4%) recent COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 infection; 1534 (52.4%) uninfected, defined as never having COVID-19 nor any infection within the past 6 months. Compared to those uninfected, infection groups reported at least a two-fold increase in fever, cough, loss of smell/taste, and shortness of breath. Based on persistent new symptoms, PASC was identified in only 1.5% of participants with COVID-19.

Conclusion: Our study suggests lower than expected prevalence of PASC in MS and a complex association between infections and development of new persistent symptoms following infections. The similar proportions classified with PASC across infection groups shows that symptoms of PASC are common and complicate assessment of PASC in MS.