What might the COVID‐19 pandemic in regard to people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder teach us regarding the future?

Objective: The study aimed to examine the demographic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD, pwNMOSD) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Methods: This was an observational study of pwNMOSD at a tertiary care clinic. Data on COVID‐19 infection were collected between 11 March 2020 and 30 April 2022. Data on COVID‐19 symptoms, severity and death rate were analyzed. Results: We observed 16 confirmed COVID‐19 cases and three suspected cases. Three (15.8%) patients had severe infections, whereas 16 (84.2%) had mild conditions. Only one person was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia. COVID‐19 re‐infection was reported by three patients. No pwNMOSD died as a result of COVID‐19 disease. Cough was the most frequently reported symptom. The incidence of COVID‐19 infection in our cohort was 21.1%. Immunosuppressants were taken by 57.9% of pwNMOSD with COVID‐19, and by 84.5% of pwNMOSD without COVID‐19. Conclusions: Due to the small sample size, there was no predominant difference in infection between infected and uninfected patients with or without immunosuppressant drugs. However, given that immunosuppressants are a risk for infection, patient decision‐making in their selection is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]