Follow-up of Patients With Multiple Sclerosis After COVID-19 Vaccination With Sinopharm Vaccine

Vaccination against COVID-19 for people with multiple sclerosis (PWMS) has been recommended, but long-term follow-up needs further research.

To follow up PWMS 3 months after vaccination with the Sinopharm vaccine regarding the relapse of MS and infection with COVID-19.

The participants in this prospective study were PWMS over 18 years of age living in Kermanshah Province, Iran, who received two doses of the Sinopharm vaccine between August and November 2021. The information on demographic and clinical characteristics of PWMS, COVID-19 infection, and relapses of MS 3 months after vaccination, were collected. We contacted the patients using the information registered in the MS registry system of Kermanshah Province, and the study data were collected by phone call and using a researcher-made questionnaire.

Overall, 197 MS patients with a Mean±SD age of 41.84±11.0 years, including 155(78.7%) females and 42(21.3%) males were studied. There was no significant difference (P=1.000) in MS relapse frequency between the time points of 3 months before the first dose (15[7.6%]) and 3 months after the second dose (15[7.6%]). The frequency of infection with COVID-19 within 3 months after the second dose (26[13.2%]) was significantly (P=0.017) higher than that in the 3 months before the first dose (12[6.1%]). Within 3 months after the second dose, most PWMS with MS relapse or COVID-19 infection used oral and anti-CD20 therapy.

During the 3 months after the second dose, the frequency of MS relapse was not different, but the frequency of COVID-19 infection was higher.