Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD: Role of Comorbidities in MS

“As a clinician trying to help an individual with MS make decisions about their treatment you really have to be thinking very carefully about all aspects of that individual, not just their characteristics of MS but their comorbid health conditions so you can make a choice that is safe and effective and then find a way to support that individual to remain on therapy.”

At the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) 2019 Forum in Dallas, Texas, Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD, reviewed the effects of comorbidity on diagnosis, outcomes, and treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Marrie explained that when patients present with comorbidity, clinicians need to utilize more cautious approaches to diagnosis like CSF examination. Comorbidity should also be considered when selecting treatment regimens, as it may influence treatment choices, effectiveness, tolerability, persistence, and adherence.

In an interview with NeurologyLive, the professor of medicine and community health sciences at University of Manitoba also spoke about how this area is rapidly emerging, so over time the community will likely learn more about the effects of comorbidities and whether or not treatment should be different in those with MS.