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

ELDEMİR Y. Ö., KAPLAN H., ŞAŞ S., ŞENEL S.

HASEKI TIP BULTENI, cilt.5, sa.61, ss.339-347, 2023 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 5 Sayı: 61
  • Basım Tarihi: 2023
  • Doi Numarası: 10.4274/haseki.galenos.2023.9221
  • Dergi Adı: HASEKI TIP BULTENI
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, EMBASE, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.339-347
  • Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

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 Beh & ccedil;et'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.