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Patients’ engagement with their own therapeutic process has been reported to be correlated with improved clinical outcomes. A better comprehension of the relationship between self-management in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and adjustable psychological features may help clinicians with better solutions for MS patients. We evaluated the role of COVID-19-related anxiety in the self-management of MS patients.

A total number of 153 patients with MS were included in the study. All patients were assessed using three distinct questionnaires including MS Self-Management Scale-Revised (MSSM-R), Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The resulting scores were used to evaluate the study goals.

MS patients didn’t have a high level of COVID-19-related anxiety. General anxiety among the patients was higher than the COVID19-related anxiety. No statistically significant correlation was seen between CDAS and MSSM-R scores (P=0.377). The hierarchical multiple regression showed that the BAI score (b=-0.418, P<0.001) together with the gender as the control variable (b=0.227, P=0.0.002) explained about 24% of the variance in the MSSM-R as the dependent variable. The self-management skills among female married MS patients with a job were drastically higher than in single male patients without a job. Patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and lower disability severity had better self-management (P<0.001).

Overall, our findings favor that anxiety has a vital role in the self-management skills of patients with MS which can lead to the altered state of an individual’s perceived health condition. 

COVID-19 disease is the cause of daily morbidity and mortality worldwide due to its high transmissibility and pathogenicity. To date, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) injection has been used as one of the various treatments for this disease. This study aimed to determine the effect of IVIg injection on the treatment of patients with Coronavirus-induced cytokine storm.

A total of 174 patients with COVID-19 were included in this study based on their clinical characteristics and laboratory findings and were divided into two groups of IVIg recipients and non-recipients according to the treatment they received. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

IVIg was used to treat merely 20 patients and Kaletra and hemoperfusion drugs were used more among IVIg recipient patients (P=0.003 and P=0.001, respectively). COVID-19-positive PCR tests were significantly more frequent among IVIg recipients (P=0.026). The polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) count (P=0.007) and sodium level (P=0.007) were significantly higher in the IVIg recipient group on the first admission day. Moreover, INR levels in the IVIg recipient group were significantly lower on the seventh admission day (P=0.020). The median of total intensive care unit (ICU) duration of hospitalization among IVIg recipients was significantly higher (P=0.001).

It seems that the use of IVIg in COVID-19 patients should be further investigated.

IVIg injection could decrease mortality and slightly increase the survival rate among COVID-19 patients.