Biological therapy of allergic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2-induced Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, continued to spread across the globe and spanned 188 countries. Under the new circumstances treatment approach for T2 allergic diseases such as asthma, chronic hives, atopic dermatitis, and sinusitis with polyps has been changed. In the past years, new biological therapies – monoclonal antibodies for these diseases have been developed targeting different aspects of the type 2 immune response. New knowledge on the COVID-19 disease course raises many issues around the safety of biologicals in patients with active infection, as well as their interactions with antiviral medications. In Russia new biological therapies entered clinical practice but it's effectiveness and safety still are not known. This newsletter is based on "Considerations on Biologicals for Patients with allergic disease in times of the COVID-19 pandemic: an EAACI Statement” and the latest scientific data. © 2020 Pharmarus Print Media License: CC BY-NC-ND.

Statement on management of children with allergic diseases during new coronaviral infection SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19 infection)

The COVID-19 infection caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has become the real pandemic. Children account for 1-6% of all diagnosed COVID-19 cases. Generally, children have mild disease in comparison to adults, and their mortality rates are extremely low. Despite the fact that all the main efforts of the medical and political community are now focused on preventing the pandemic spread and organizing medical care for patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 course, we still have to remember to implement adequate help for patients with chronic diseases, especially for children with allergic diseases. The pandemic period coincided with natural weather period of dusting of causative plants, that led to annual escalation of both allergic rhinitis and asthma in patient group with specific sensitization to tree pollen. Leading experts of allergology (adapting to modern conditions) have created key guidelines on management of children with allergic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines are based on the data and results from the Union of Pediatricians of Russia, Russian Association of Allergologists and Clinical Immunologists, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), European Respiratory Society (ERS), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Global Strategy for Asthma Management (GINA), Initiative on Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA/MACVIA).