ABSTRACT
Background: The study of the features of the course and mutual influence of the new coronavirus disease COVID-19 and various rheumatic diseases (RD) in children can still give us new lessons, warnings and fears. Objectives: To update the analysis in a retrospective study the course of covid-19 in children with RD based on the results of two years of the pandemic. To analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the course of RD in children. Methods: Retrospective analysis based on data from single center. The study included patients with RD and confirmed COVID-19 for 2 years (2020-2021). Results: Were registered 320 cases of COVID-19 in children with RD. 158 (49%) patients were asymptomatically infected, 162 (51%) had clinical symptoms. A detailed description of the groups is presented in Table 1. Clinical symptoms were fever (67%), anosmia (47%), rhinitis (34%), cough (19%), arthralgia/myalgia (16%), dyspepsia (5%), rash (2.5%), pneumonia (3%). In the majority of cases (98%), COVID-19 proceeded in mild to moderate severity. Hospitalization due to COVID-19 was required just in 5 cases. 2 children were admitted to the intensive care unit. First, an 11-year-old girl with sJIA with the history of recurrent episodes of MAS resolved by regular administration of canakinumab. 2nd, a 12-year-old girl with Sjogren's syndrome, who received Rituximab and 1 month later she developed the COVID-19 with MIS-like clinical picture, pneumonia with 25%CT lessions. Both cases have a favorable outcome. The clinical characteristics of the patients are presented in Table 1. COVID-19 didǹt affect the course of RD in the 86% of pts. However, 15% developed a fare of the RD with average of 3 months after COVID-19. In this group for 13 pts (girls mostly F/M-9/4, mean age 15 years [9;16]), COVID-19 triggered the new onset of RD (non-systemic JIA-4, Uveitis-1, non-bacterial osteomyelitis-3, systemic JIA-2, Scleroderma-2, Sjögren's syndrome-1. 12 from 13 these children had clinical symptoms on COVID-19. Whether this is Long-COVID syndrome or an independent RD is not known. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the new coronavirus infection in most cases in children with RD, had mild or asymptomatic course, regardless of therapy with immunosuppressive drugs and bDMARD, except of 1 observation with the previous therapy of Rituximab. Worsening of RD after coronavirus infection developed in 15% of cases, regardless of its clinical manifestations. In 13 patients, the RD were started just after COVID-19. The explosive increasing of the incidence of a new strain of COVID-19 for a past month may change the current results and conclusions.
ABSTRACT
Background: About one year ago at the beginning of the new SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic, it was expected, that rheumatic disease (RD) and immunosuppressive therapy could predispose to a more severe course of the COVID-19 infection. At that time, it was unspeakable how this infection would occur in children with RB in compare to adults. Now it's time to draw preliminary conclusions. Objectives: to analyze all features of COVID19 infection in children with RD Methods: The retrospective single center study of all patients with pediatric RD who had the COVID19 infection up to the end of January 2021. It was analyzed all variety of clinical manifestations, changing in therapy at the time of COVID-19 and after it, the dynamics of the RD and consequences of the new viral disease. Results: The study included 66 patients under the age of 18 with various RS, including autoinflammatory disease (AIDs). The diagnostic distribution, sex ratio, age and previous therapy present in the Table 1. There were patients treated with DMARDS (methotrexate -47, hydroxychloroquine -3, mycophenolate mofetil -2, colchicine -1), NSAID monotherapy -6, systemic steroids -10;29 patients recived Biologics, including combination with methotrexate. None of our patients had a severe course of the COVID-19, none of 66 patients was hospitalized for emergency indications in the intensive care unit or in other specialized departments. The diagnosis of COVID-19 infection was based on different evidences: positive PCR in 15 (23%) cases, high levels of immunoglobulins G and M -in 64 (97%) and 7 (11%) respectively, viral pneumonia was confirmed by CT in 2 (10%) cases. A manifest clinical picture presented just in 21 (32 %) of patients, the others were carried the disease asymptomatically. Among the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 that were observed in our patients were the following: fever, as the most frequent symptom -19 (90%), rhinitis -12 (57%), anosmia -10 (48%), sore throat -3 (14%), arthralgia/myalgia in 4 (19%), rash -1 (5%) case, cough -4 (19%) cases. it is important to note that until July 2020, only 4 patients were registered, and in the next 6 months -62. The treatment against COVID-19 in our patients with clinical symptoms included: NSAID monotherapy -4 (19%), Systemic steroids -2 (10%), Hydroxychloroquine -2(10%), Antibiotics-5 (24%).Conclusion: Our study suggests that the presence of RD and immunosuppression therapy does not lead to an increased frequency or severe course of COVID-19 infection in children. The final conclusion will be drawn as the data accumulates.