According to data collected in Italy and the United Kingdom, Corona infected with a multiple sclerosis drug that suppresses the immune system has been less affected by the virus

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  Liron Moldovan

Surprising data collected in the United Kingdom and Italy found that MS patients, patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs, are less susceptible to corona complications than other patients. Chronic illnesses are considered a risk factor for coronary complications and at the beginning of the outbreak patients taking suppressive immune systems were afraid to continue taking them. However, data now reveal that these patients may be less sensitive to coronary complications.

Data collected from emergency rooms and intensive care units in the United Kingdom showed that out of all the patients attending corona (2,249 people), only 2.3% were immune suppressed. The figure is 3.7 times lower than the total number of immunosuppressed patients who received intensive care due to seasonal viral influenza between 2017-2019 (before and during coronary illness). It can therefore be concluded that immunocompromised patients infected with corona come at a lower rate of intensive care.

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In another report from Italy, it was found that among 380 Italian patients suffering from multiple sclerosis in Corona, only 15 died. This is a much lower mortality rate in Italy, which is about 13%.

The impression is that when a patient arrives with a sclerosis and a corona for an intensive care unit, his risk of complication is lower than that of a person without multiple sclerosis, "explains Dr. Shay Manshko, a senior pediatric neurologist at the Sheba Institute at Tel Hashomer Hospital.

"At the beginning of the corona eruption, there was a sweeping thought that all patients with chronic disease are at high risk. Mostly diabetes, hypertension and obesity. But it turns out not all of them are difficult. These results surprise us and show that 'inversely', in immune system diseases, in particular Multiple sclerosis, which requires immunosuppressive drug therapy, rather than these patients being more exposed to the crown and in more severe conditions, is actually less difficult. "

The corona virus causes an immune response that is called a "cytokine storm". According to Dr. Menschko, the hypothesis is that in patients taking immune suppressive drugs, the virus is less active and causes less immunological turmoil.

"We still unequivocally recommend our patients not to contract the virus and people who are teaching staff to treat themselves as a risk group. The sclerosis and disability will not progress. Even if there is exposure to Corona, the data is soothing. "