Welcome to MS News Notes, a column in which I discuss the sclerosis (MS) news that caught my eye last week. Here’s a look at what happened.
Since COVID-19 was a fear over 3 years ago, I’ve read a lot of comments from other people who are concerned that the virus may simply cause an MS relapse. Research featured in the MS News Today article “COVID-19 Not Linked to an Increase in MS Relapse Rate: A Meta-Analysis” addresses those fears.
Researchers from Iran and Pakistan reviewed knowledge from 14 studies published between 2021 and 2023 and decided that the facts do not seem to concern them.
“The effects of this systematic review and meta-analysis found no association between COVID-19 and MS relapse,” the researchers wrote.
They observed that only 7. 71% of MS patients with COVID-19 experienced a relapse. What’s more, when comparing 1,003 MS patients with COVID-19 with another 1,667 people with MS who did not contract the virus, they found that relapse rates were not particularly different.
I had a mild case of COVID-19 last February. Although one of my symptoms was a low-grade fever, I didn’t have a relapse.
However, the researchers added that it is conceivable that other strains of the virus have effects on the threat of relapse, so more studies are needed.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated an innovative device for a blood test that can detect disease activity in older adults ages 18 to 55 with relapsing types of MS.
The article “FDA Names Elecsys NfL Blood Test for MS a Breakthrough Device” reports on a test designed to measure the point of the neurofilament soft chain (NfL) in the blood. NfL is a biomarker of nerve damage caused by MS. Achieve Breakthrough Designation Verify developers have more common interactions with FDA experts and obtain a precedence review of their work, expediting the studies and approval process.
Another NfL blood test, a generation called Simoa, earned groundbreaking designation from the FDA in April 2022.
A third blood test to detect MS activity is already used in the clinical practice of the regimen in the United States. I recently read reviews from other people with MS who said their neurologists used this monitoring to track the progression of their disease.
Has your doctor told you about any of these tests?Please percentage the comments below.
Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly an online news and facts page about the disease. It does not provide medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatments. This content is not intended to replace professional medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatments. Always seek the recommendation of your physician or other qualified fitness care professional if you have any questions related to a medical condition. Never follow a doctor’s recommendation or delay in seeking it because of anything you have read on this online page. This column is not that of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews, and is intended to generate debate about issues similar to multiple sclerosis.
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This site is strictly a news and facts site about the disease. It does not provide medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatments. This content is not intended to replace professional medical recommendations, diagnoses, or treatments. Always seek the recommendation of your physician or other qualified physical care professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never follow a doctor’s recommendation or delay in seeking it because of anything you have read on this website.