Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of participants and non-participants.
| Participants (n = 404) |
Non-participants (n = 574) |
p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 50 (11) | 48 (11) | 0.001 |
| Female, n (%) | 307 (76) | 456 (79.4) | 0.434 |
| White ethnicity, n (%) | 380 (94.1) | 538 (93.7) | 0.832 |
| Pre-COVID-19 webEDSS score a, median (IQR) | 4.5 (3 – 6.5) n = 248 |
4 (3 – 6.5) n = 288 |
0.776 |
| MS type, n (%) | |||
| RRMS | 277 (68.6) | 415 (72.3) | 0.018 |
| SPMS | 65 (16.1) | 99 (17.2) | |
| PPMS | 39 (9.7) | 26 (4.5) | |
| Unknown | 23 (5.7) | 34 (5.9) | |
| MS disease duration, years, median (IQR) | 11 (5 – 18) n = 395 |
10 (5 – 17) n = 547 |
0.106 |
| DMTs, n (%) | 193 (47.8) | 301 (52.4) | 0.151 |
| Beta interferons | 21 (5.2) | 39 (6.8) | |
| Glatiramer acetate | 22 (5.4) | 37 (6.5) | |
| Teriflunomide | 7 (1.7) | 14 (2.4) | |
| Dimethyl fumarate | 58 (14.4) | 72 (12.6) | |
| Fingolimod | 24 (5.9) | 35 (6.1) | |
| Siponimod | 0 (0) | 1 (0.2) | |
| Natalizumab | 24 (5.9) | 44 (7.7) | |
| Ocrelizumab | 14 (3.5) | 33 (5.8) | |
| Cladribine | 7 (1.7) | 9 (1.6) | |
| Alemtuzumab | 13 (3.2) | 15 (2.6) | |
| Others b | 3 (0.7) | 1 (0.2) | |
| Confirmed COVID-19, n (%) | 108 (26.7) | 168 (29.3) | 0.386 |
| Hospitalized due to COVID-19, n (%) | 8 (2) | 9 (1.6) | 0.620 |
DMTs = Disease Modifying Therapies; IQR = Interquartile Range; PPMS = Primary Progressive MS; RRMS = Relapsing Remitting MS; SD = Standard Deviation; SPMS = Secondary Progressive MS; webEDSS = web-based Expanded Disability Status Scale.
a
The median (IQR) duration from recording the webEDSS score to reporting COVID-19 was 7 (3 – 16.75) weeks for participants and 11 (6 – 23.75) weeks for non-participants (p <0.001).
b
Participants were taking Ponesimod (n = 1) and Rituximab (n = 2) and the non-participant was taking Azathioprine.