COVID-19 vaccines and patients with multiple sclerosis: willingness, unwillingness and hesitancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the pooled prevalence of vaccination willingness, unwillingness, and hesitancy among patients with multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched. by two expert researchers, as well as references in the included studies, which were published before October 2021. RESULTS: Three hundred eighty articles were found in four data bases. One hundred eighty-two studies remained following deleting duplicates. Finally, ten studies remained for the meta-analysis. Totally, 5983 patients with MS were assessed. The pooled prevalence of willingness to vaccination among patients with MS was 76% (95% CI: 67–85%) (I(2) = 98.4%, p < 0.001). Unwillingness pooled prevalence to vaccination among patients with MS was 2% (95% CI: 2–3%) (I(2) = 97.9%, p < 0.001). Hesitancy pooled prevalence to vaccination among patients with MS was 0% (I(2) = 98%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: According to the findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis, more than two-thirds of patients with MS were willing to obtain COVID-19 vaccines.