Haseki Tıp Bülteni (Nov 2023)

Evaluation of Predictors Associated with COVID-19 Pneumonia in Rheumatic Patients Using Biological or Targeted Therapies: Results from a Tertiary Center in Turkey

  • Yasemin Ozden Eldemir,
  • Huseyin Kaplan,
  • Senem Sas,
  • Abdurrahman Soner Senel

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4274/haseki.galenos.2023.9221
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 61, no. 5
pp. 339 – 347

Abstract

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Aim: Disease-related immune dysfunction and/or treatment with immunosuppressive drugs may affect the course of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection in rheumatic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the course of COVID-19 infection and predictors of COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with rheumatological disease using biological or targeted therapies. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2022 and July 12, 2022. Demographic and clinical parameters and COVID-19-related data in patients with and without COVID-19 pneumonia were recorded and compared. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of COVID-19-related pneumonia. Results: A total of 110 patients (67 with spondyloarthritis, 25 with rheumatoid arthritis, 8 with familial Mediterranean fever, 5 with Takayasu arteritis, 3 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and 2 with Behçet’s disease) were included in the study. The mean age of 110 rheumatic patients was 47.27±12.77 years. Their mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.59±5.59 kg/m2, and 67.3% of them were female. Twenty-one (19.1%) patients had a history of COVID-19 pneumonia. The rates of hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus, comorbidity status, comorbidity groups, cough, dyspnea, non-healing complaints, and COVID-19 treatment in addition to BMI, the total number of comorbidities, and the number of vaccines after COVID-19 infection were statistically different in the groups with and without pneumonia (for all, p<0.05). In logistic regression analyses, we found that BMI (OR: 1,113, p=0.040), HT (OR: 2,658, p=0.041), cough (OR: 4,982, p=0.029), and dyspnea (OR: 3,979, p=0.046) were the most important predictors associated with COVID-19 pneumonia. Conclusion: Comorbidities such as HT and obesity pose an independent risk of COVID-19-related pneumonia in rheumatic patients using biological or targeted therapies. Furthermore, coughing and dyspnea in these patients may indicate COVID-19 pneumonia.

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