Mapping the Risk of Infections in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Multi-database Study in the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD and Aurum

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) have an increased risk of infections; risk factors include underlying disease, physical impairment and use of some disease-modifying treatments.

Objective: To quantify changes in population-level infection rates among pwMS and compare these to the general population and people with rheumatoid arthritis (pwRA), and identify patient characteristics predictive of infections after MS diagnosis.

Methods: We conducted a multi-database study using data on 23,226 people with MS diagnosis from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum and GOLD (January 2000-December 2020). PwMS were matched to MS-free controls and pwRA. We calculated infection rates, and estimated incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of predictors for infections ⩽ 5 years after MS diagnosis using Poisson regression.

Results: Among pwMS, overall infection rates remained stable - 1.51-fold (1.49-1.52) that in MS-free controls and 0.87-fold (0.86-0.88) that in pwRA - although urinary tract infection rate per 1000 person-years increased from 98.7 (96.1-101) (2000-2010) to 136 (134-138) (2011-2020). Recent infection before MS diagnosis was most predictive of infections (1 infection: IRR 1.92 (1.86-1.97); ⩾2 infections: IRR 3.00 (2.89-3.10)).

Conclusion: The population-level elevated risk of infection among pwMS has remained stable despite the introduction of disease-modifying treatments.