This nested project of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Cohort (SMSC) is to assess theseverity of COVID-19 and the magnitude of antibody response after infection with SevereAcute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients already treated or notwith various immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis followed in the framework of theSMSC.
This nested project of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Cohort (SMSC) is to assess the
severity of COVID-19 and the magnitude of antibody response after infection with Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients already treated or not
with various immunotherapies for multiple sclerosis followed in the framework of the
SMSC.
To assess the frequency and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections and associated symptoms in
the study population, data is collected from systematic questioning during the
SMSC-visits and from serum samples collected every 6-12 months within the SMSC (for
measurement of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pre-pandemic reference samples and
prospectively to determine the anti-SARS-CoV-2-serostatus during the study period).
Combining the information on anti-SARS- CoV-2 serostatus and infection history opens the
opportunity to determine the number of patients without or with only mild vs. moderate to
severe COVID-19 symptoms in large groups of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) treated
with immunotherapies targeting various components of the immune system.
Other: data collection
clinical data collection regarding COVID-19 suggestive symptoms or confirmed
SARS-CoV-2-infections (medical events), recorded comorbidities (concomitant diseases
relevant to MS and COVID-19) and recorded vaccinations (other treatments). This
information is systematically collected during the routine clinical visits of the patient
within the SMSC every 6-12 months.
Other: analysis of blood samples
analysis of archived serum samples collected every 6-12 months within the SMSC for
measurement of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in pre-pandemic reference samples and
prospectively determine the anti-SARS-CoV-2-serostatus during the study period.
Inclusion Criteria:
- all patients in the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Cohort (SMSC)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients with Neuromyelitis optica and Radiologically Isolated Syndrome will be
excluded
- Existence of a documented refusal of further use of health-related personal data
and/or biological material
Kantonsspital Aarau
Aarau, Switzerland
University Hospital Basel, Department of Neurology and Department of Biomedicine
Basel, Switzerland
Inselspital Bern
Bern, Switzerland
Hôpitaux Universitaires Genève
Genève, Switzerland
Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
Lausanne, Switzerland
Ospedale Regionale di Lugano
Lugano, Switzerland
Kantonsspital St. Gallen
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Matthias Mehling, PD Dr. med.
+41 61 328 77 40
matthias.mehling@usb.ch
Jens Kuhle, Prof. Dr. med.
+41 61 328 71 91
jens.kuhle@usb.ch
Matthias Mehling, PD Dr. med., Principal Investigator
University of Basel, Department of Biomedicine and University Hospital Basel