UK MS Register Sub-study: The impact of COVID-19 on people with MS
- Lead researcher:
- Professor Nikos Evangelou & Professor Richard Nicholas
- Based at:
- University of Nottingham & Imperial College London
- MS Society funding:
- £28,187.64
- Status:
- Active
About the project
COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the health of many people throughout the world. People with MS could potentially be at greater risk, either because of physical disabilities (like difficulties swallowing) or because they're using disease modifying treatments (DMTs) which change the body’s normal ability to fight infections. We're still learning how COVID-19 affects people with MS. In this study, the researchers want to understand the impact of the outbreak on people with MS.
People who have signed up to the UK MS Register will be asked to complete regular online questionnaires about their MS and how COVID-19 is affecting their life and MS. Anyone who reports a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 (and some who don’t have any symptoms) will be contacted by telephone. This will allow the team to collect more detailed information about their MS and COVID-19.
The researchers will also collect data from healthcare professionals in collaboration with organisations throughout the world to coordinate efforts to understand the impact of this pandemic on people with MS in different regions.
How will it help people with MS?
Based on the data collected during the study, the researchers will provide rolling updates of the situation. These updates will inform and support clinicians and people with MS to make decisions about the best approaches to manage life with MS during this and potentially, future outbreaks.
