Most Patients With MS Have No Risk for Relapse After COVID-19 Vaccination
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14, 2024 -- For most patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), there is no increased risk for relapse after COVID-19 vaccination, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Neurology.
Xavier Moisset, M.D., Ph.D., from the Universite Clermont Auvergne in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and colleagues conducted a nationwide study using data from the French National Health Data System to estimate the risk for severe relapse after one, two, and three (booster) doses of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with MS. A total of 124,545 patients with MS were identified on Jan. 1, 2021; 82 percent received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine until Dec. 31, 2021, with a total of 259,880 doses.
The researchers found that the combined incidence rate ratio was 0.97 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.91 to 1.03; P = 0.30) for MS relapse. In various subgroups, including those aged younger than 50 years, with a duration of MS <10 years, and using disease-modifying treatments (DMTs), the same absence of risk was confirmed. For patients with high MS activity, especially when not treated, a small increase in relapse risk was seen after a booster dose (incidence rate ratio, 1.39; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.08 to 1.80).
"These vaccines can be used without any worry about the risk of relapse to provide booster doses to patients for whom they are warranted," the authors write. "However, particular caution is needed for patients with the highest inflammatory activity in the previous two years, who should first receive DMT."
Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Further Support and Information on COVID-19
Read this next
Worse Outcomes Seen for Unvaccinated Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19, AKI
WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2025 -- For patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection and acute kidney injury (AKI), those who are unvaccinated have worse outcomes in terms of kidney...
Greater Epigenetic Age Seen in Patients With Pediatric-Onset MS
TUESDAY, June 17, 2025 -- Individuals with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) have greater epigenetic age and age acceleration residual (AAR) compared with age-similar...
Decline in Youth Physical Fitness Seen in Association With Pandemic
FRIDAY, June 13, 2025 -- During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decline in the physical fitness of U.S. youth, according to a study published online June 4 in...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.