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The differential diagnosis of suspected multiple sclerosis has been developed using data from North America, northern Europe, and Australasia, with a focus on White populations. People from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds in regions where prevalence of multiple sclerosis is high are more often negatively affected by social determinants of health, compared with White people in these regions. A better understanding of changing demographics, the clinical characteristics of people from minority ethnic or racial backgrounds, and the social challenges they face might facilitate equitable clinical approaches when considering a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Neuromyelitis optica, systemic lupus erythematous, neurosarcoidosis, infections, and cerebrovascular conditions (eg, hypertension) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis for people from minority ethnic and racial backgrounds in North America, northern Europe, and Australasia. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in people from a minority ethnic or racial background in these regions requires a comprehensive approach that considers the complex interplay of immigration, diagnostic inequity, and social determinants of health., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests LA has received research support from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Race to Erase MS Foundation, and Biogen Idec; is a local Principal Investigator for commercial trials funded by Genentech, Sanofi, and Genzyme; and declares consulting fees from Biogen Idec, Novartis, Genentech, and EMD Serono. DR has received research support from MS Canada, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, University of Toronto Division of Neurology, and Roche Canada; and has received speaker or consultant fees from Alexion, Biogen, EMD Serono, Horizon Therapeutics, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi Aventis. OC is a member of the data and safety monitoring board for Novartis, has served on one advisory board for Biogen, and has received a speaker honorarium from Merck. DO has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Race to Erase MS Foundation, Genentech, Genzyme, and Novartis; and has received consulting fees from Biogen Idec, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech/Roche, Genzyme, Janssen, Novartis, and Merck. MM has served on scientific advisory boards for Sanofi, Novartis, and Merck; and received honoraria for lecturing from Biogen, Merck, Novartis, Roche, Genzyme, and Bristol Myers Squibb. VR has received honoraria from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Roche, Corne Neurosciences, and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America; and is a consultant (Expert Opinion Program) for Teladoc Health International. DK has served as a consultant for CVS Health. RD has received research support from the UK MS Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, BMA Foundation, Horne Family Charitable Foundation, Biogen, and Merck; and has received honoraria for advisory boards and educational activities from Biogen, Novartis, Sandoz, Roche, Janssen, and Merck. MW is a co-investigator for a study funded by Genentech; has received honoraria and consulting fees from Alexion, Biogen Idec, Novartis, Genentech, Horizon Therapeutics, EMD Serono, Octave Biosciences, TG Therapeutics, and Sanofi/Genzyme; and has participated in speakers bureau for Biogen Idec, Genentech, EMD Serono, and TG Therapeutics. RAM is a co-investigator on a study funded in part by Biogen and Roche (no funds to her or her institution). JAC has received personal compensation for consulting for Biogen, Convelo, EMD Serono, Gossamer Bio, Mylan, and PSI; and serves as an Editor for Multiple Sclerosis. BB served as a consultant for Novartis, Roche, and UCB; and is funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and National Institutes of Health for work unrelated to this paper. BH served on scientific advisory boards for Novartis; and has served as a data and safety monitoring board member for AllergyCare, Sandoz, Polpharma, Biocon and TG therapeutics; and his institution has received institutional research grants from Roche. BH has received honoraria for counselling for the Gerson Lehrmann Group; and holds part of two patents: (1) the detection of antibodies against KIR4.1 in a subpopulation of patients with multiple sclerosis, and (2) genetic determinants of neutralising antibodies to interferon. SDN reports grants or contracts from Biogen, Roche, Genentech, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Department of Defense, and Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute; reports personal compensation for consulting for Biogen, Roche, Genentech, Bristol Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Greenwich Biosciences, Novartis, Horizon Therapeutics, and TG Therapeutics; and participates on a data safety monitoring board and advisory board for MedDay Pharmaceuticals; and reports support from the Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation. AJS reports grant funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, and Bristol Myers Squibb; is contracted for research with Sanofi, Biogen, Novartis, Actelion, and Genentec; has received personal compensation for consulting from EMD Serono and Octave Bioscience; has received payment or honoraria for lectures for EMD Serono; has been called for expert testimony by The Jacob D Fuchsberg Law Firm and Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder; participates on a data safety monitoring board for Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute and Yale University; participates on an advisory board for Genentech, Biogen, Alexion, Celgene, Greenwich Biosciences, TG Therapeutics, and Horizon Therapeutics; and is content Chair for the American Academy of Neurology Institute Multiple Sclerosis Quality Measure Development Work Group and Section Editor for Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. WR3rd has research grant support from the National Institutes of Health and the Veterans Administration; reports honoraria, consulting fees, and support for advisory activities for the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, the University of Maryland, the University of Calgary, Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Alzheimer's Association of Georgia; and receives compensation for serving as Director of specialty programming for Mediflix. AS and BT declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Background and Objective: To describe the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD)., Methods: The COVID-19 Infections in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Related Diseases (COViMS) Registry collected data on North American patients with MS and related diseases with laboratory-positive or highly suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. Deidentified data were entered into a web-based registry by health care providers. Data were analyzed using t -tests, Pearson χ 2 tests, or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables. Univariate logistic regression models examined effects of risk factors and COVID-19 clinical severity., Results: As of June 7, 2021, 77 patients with NMOSD and 20 patients with MOGAD were reported in the COViMS Registry. Most patients with NMOSD were laboratory positive for SARS-CoV-2 and taking rituximab at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. Most patients with NMOSD were not hospitalized (64.9% [95% CI: 53.2%-75.5%]), whereas 15.6% (95% CI: 8.3%-25.6%) were hospitalized only, 9.1% (95% CI: 3.7%-17.8%) were admitted to the ICU and/or ventilated, and 10.4% (95% CI: 4.6%-19.5%) died. In patients with NMOSD, having a comorbidity was the sole factor identified for poorer COVID-19 outcome (OR = 6.0, 95% CI: 1.79-19.98). Most patients with MOGAD were laboratory positive for SARS-CoV-2, and almost half were taking rituximab. Among patients with MOGAD, 75.0% were not hospitalized, and no deaths were recorded; no factors were different between those not hospitalized and those hospitalized, admitted to the ICU, or ventilated., Discussion: Among the reported patients with NMOSD, a high mortality rate was observed, and the presence of comorbid conditions was associated with worse COVID-19 outcome. There were no deaths reported in the patients with MOGAD, although these observations are limited due to small sample size., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology.)