A Seroprevalence Study of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy.

Mirko Di Ruscio,Federico Gobbi,Angela Variola,Andrea Geccherle,Antonio Conti,Gianluigi Lunardi,Donatella Piccoli,Dora Buonfrate,Giulia Bertoli

doi:10.3390/medicina57101048

Mirko Di Ruscio, Federico Gobbi + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57101048

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Abstract

Background and Objectives: Studies have shown a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including amongst those receiving biological therapy. Aims were to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in IBD patients and to assess any association between seropositivity and IBD characteristics. Materials and Methods: Serum from adult IBD patients was prospectively collected between December 2020 and January 2021 and analyzed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Information about IBD characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 exposure risk factors was collected and analyzed. Serum from non-IBD healthcare workers formed the control group. Results: 311 IBD patients on biologics and 75 on mesalazine were enrolled. Ulcerative colitis (UC) extension (p < 0.001), Crohn’s disease (CD) phenotype (p = 0.009) and use of concomitant corticosteroids (p < 0.001) were significantly different between the two IBD groups. Overall seroprevalence among IBD patients was 10.4%. The control group showed a prevalence of 13.0%, not significantly different to that of IBD patients (p = 0.145). Only a close contact with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals and the use of non-FFP2 masks were independently associated with a higher likelihood of seropositivity amongst IBD patients. Conclusion: In IBD patients, the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is not determined by their ongoing treatment. Disease-related characteristics are not associated with a greater risk of antibody seropositivity.

Highlights

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a significant global impact [1].Certain categories of people, including those with chronic inflammatory conditions, are more vulnerable to developing COVID-19 and suffering severe clinical outcomes [2].Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD) and inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU), require immunosuppressant medication that is associated with an increased risk of serious and opportunistic infections [3,4]
Any patients testing positive for IgM and/or IgG were invited to undertake a nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in order to identify and isolate any individuals with active infection
Our rates were higher than those of other publications, they were comparable to those of our non-IBD control group (13.0%), which is in line with other studies

Summary

Introduction

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a significant global impact [1].Certain categories of people, including those with chronic inflammatory conditions, are more vulnerable to developing COVID-19 and suffering severe clinical outcomes [2].Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD) and inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU), require immunosuppressant medication that is associated with an increased risk of serious and opportunistic infections [3,4]. Studies have shown a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including amongst those receiving biological therapy. Aims were to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in IBD patients and to assess any association between seropositivity and IBD characteristics. Materials and Methods: Serum from adult IBD patients was prospectively collected between December 2020 and January 2021 and analyzed for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. A close contact with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals and the use of non-FFP2 masks were independently associated with a higher likelihood of seropositivity amongst IBD patients. Conclusion: In IBD patients, the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies is not determined by their ongoing treatment. Disease-related characteristics are not associated with a greater risk of antibody seropositivity

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