New Delhi, December 24 (IANS). A research has revealed that Covid-19 infection does not worsen symptoms in people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). That means Covid-19 infection does not increase the symptoms of this serious disease.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) and is caused by an autoimmune attack on healthy cells of the body.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas conducted this research on 2,132 adults with an average age of 65 years. He was monitored for 18 months.
However, infections are thought to be worse in people with MS, which can also lead to physical disability. The results, published in the online issue of the journal Neurology, showed that this was not particularly true for COVID-19 infections. This is a relief news for those MS patients who had Covid-19 infection.
“This is good news for people with MS, that they don’t have to worry about long-term worsening of their MS symptoms after a COVID-19 infection,” said Amber Salter, from the university and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. ‘
A total of 796 people in the research reported having Covid infection, and 1,336 people reported never having Covid.
During the research, participants also reported the severity of their MS symptoms and were asked about walking, hand function, physical pain, fatigue, memory and thinking.
Participants also reported their level of disability, which was based on how their condition affects daily activities such as walking or standing.
The findings showed that for people with and without Covid, MS symptom severity increased by a nominal 0.02 per cent per month.
No difference was found in the severity of MS symptoms between people with and without Covid.
“Our study indicates that COVID-19 infection was not associated with immediate changes in symptom severity or disability, nor did it alter MS symptoms more than a year and a half after infection,” Salter said.
However, he said the results may be different for younger people.
–IANS
MKS/AS