Table 1.
In‐ and exclusion criteria. Untreated groups were untreated for at least 3 months before inclusion, irrespective of any treatment before this interval.
| Inclusion criteria |
| Untreated active RRMS (RRMS_U) |
| At least one clinical relapse during 2 years prior to screening, or at least one active, contrast‐enhancing lesion on brain MRI in the year prior to screening |
| EDSS < 7.0 |
| Untreated active RRMS during relapse (RRMS_R) |
| Able to perform first data collection prior to corticosteroid therapy |
| EDSS < 7.0 |
| Untreated BMS (BMS) |
| EDSS ≤ 3.0 at least 15 years after first MS symptoms 19 , 20 |
| IFN treated RRMS (RRMS_I) |
| At least 3 months of stable treatment with interferon beta |
| EDSS < 7.0 |
| Non‐active PPMS (PPMS) |
| No clinical relapse within 2 years prior to screening |
| EDSS < 7.0 |
| Exclusion criteria for MS patients |
| Secondary progressive MS patients |
| Disease‐modifying treatment other than IFN at screening |
| Glatiramer acetate treatment within 3 months prior to screening |
| Fingolimod or natalizumab treatment within 6 months prior to screening |
| Systemic corticosteroid use within 2 months prior to screening |
| Gastrointestinal conditions such as IBD |
| Antibiotic use in the 4 weeks prior to screening |
| Exclusion criteria for healthy controls |
| Systemic corticosteroid use within 2 months prior to screening |
| Gastrointestinal conditions such as IBD |
| Other diseases of the central nervous system |
| Antibiotic use in the 4 weeks prior to screening |
| Direct relation to or living with a participant in one of the MS groups |
BMS, benign MS; EDSS, expanded disease status scale; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IFN, interferon beta; PPMS, primary progressive MS; RRMS, relapsing–remitting MS.