Abstract
The characteristics of COVID-19 patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD) have rarely been reported. Patients with AIRD have suppressed immune defense function, which may increase their susceptibility to COVID-19. However, the immunosuppressive agents AIRD patients routinely used may be beneficial for protecting the cytokine storm caused by SARS-CoV-2. In this retrospective study, we included all confirmed cases in Huoshenshan Hospital from February 4 to April 9. Data were extracted from electronic medical records and were analyzed for clinical and laboratory features using SPSS (version 25.0). Of 3059 patients, 21 had the comorbidities with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and/or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including 5 with SLE, 15 with RA, and 1 with Rhupus. The proportion was 57.1% for severe cases, 61.9% for either severe or critical cases, and 4.8% for critical cases. The main manifestations, ARDS and ICU admission rate, as well as the mortality and length of hospital stay of COVID-19 in AIRD patients were similar to COVID-19 patients in the general population. Our preliminary experience shows that patients with AIRD tend to have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and may be at risk for a severe but less likely critical disease course. Further investigation is needed to understand the immunological features of these diseases.
Highlights
We are on a global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)
People with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD), such as systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), were inferred to have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to suppressed immune defense function by the illness per se or the therapy, since precedent studies reported that immune suppression delayed viral clearance and increased rates of secondary infections in SARS and MERS outbreaks [5, 6]
We report the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and outcomes of 21 COVID-19 patients who have comorbidities with SLE and/or RA
Summary
We are on a global pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). The host immunity acts like a double-edge sword during the response to the new coronavirus: it may provide a strong immunological response adequate for virus clearance, while on the other hand, excessive proinflammatory cytokines induced by the uncontrolled immune response with features of cytokine storm may cause a severe disease course and worsen the prognosis of COVID-19 [1,2,3,4]. People with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD), such as systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), were inferred to have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to suppressed immune defense function by the illness per se or the therapy, since precedent studies reported that immune suppression delayed viral clearance and increased rates of secondary infections in SARS and MERS outbreaks [5, 6]
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