Traditional versus Early Aggressive Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (TREAT-MS) is a pragmatic, randomized trial that primarily evaluates whether, in early relapsing MS, starting an “early aggressive” therapy rather than a more moderate-efficacy therapy influences intermediate-term disability risk. Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused clinical care disruptions nationwide. Many patients with MS, as well as their treating clinicians, have been fearful that an MS therapy may increase the risk or severity of COVID-19. Whether a person with early MS is more likely to experience more severe COVID-19 outcomes is critical in advising patients about treatments. Furthermore, whether disruptions in MS treatment/care during the pandemic were associated with increased MS disease activity/symptoms is not clear. It is also unclear if prior levels of anxiety and depression were associated with disrupted MS care during the pandemic.
