ABSTRACT
BackgroundFacing the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we gradually comprehend its pathophysiology as a coagulopathy characterized by increased risks of arterial, venous, and microvascular thrombosis. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune, thrombo-inflammatory disease characterized by thrombosis and/or pregnancy loss in the presence of one or more antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL).ObjectivesTo evaluate the clinical scenario of COVID-19 in the APS population of patients.MethodsThis is a single-center, observational, cross-sectional study. Data regarding the severity of COVID-19 (severe COVID-19 considered if interstitial pneumonia was diagnosed), COVID-19 vaccinal status, and post-vaccinal reactions (divided into mild, consisting of fever, myalgia, nausea, and severe if thrombosis at any point occurred) were collected from 44 APS patients (21 with primary and 23 with APS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 90.1% female). aPL analysis included the detection of aCL (IgG/IgM), ß2GPI (IgG/IgM), and LA Results were compared to the control group consisting of 31 healthy individuals, with no APS, matched to the APS group regarding age and gender.ResultsAt the moment of COVID-19 infection, 75% of the APS group was taking Aspirin, 15.9% warfarin, 2.3% non-vitamin K oral anticoagulant, 59.1% chloroquine, 31.8% corticosteroid, 2.3% methotrexate. None of the above-mentioned medications were taken from a control group. There was no difference regarding the severity of COVID-19 between APS patients and healthy controls: 84.1% of APS had mild and 15.9% severe COVID-19 (p=0.509, p=0.292 respectively). But the difference regarding the need for hospitalization was significant (none of the healthy controls compared to 11.4% APS patients, p=0.0073). Interestingly, COVID-19 occurred in 72.7% of APS patients before the COVID-19 vaccination compared to 35.5% of healthy controls, p=0.001, conversely, a significantly lower percentage of vaccinated APS patients had COVID-19 compared to healthy controls (34.1% to 71.0%, p=0.002). 27% of APS patients had mild post-vaccinal reactions, none with severe.ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, APS patients in Serbia were at higher risk for hospitalization. However, there was no difference in the severity of clinical presentation compared to non -the APS population. We can only speculate that APS therapy consisting of Aspirin, Chloroquine, and oral anticoagulant therapy contributed to this finding. Moreover, COVID-19 vaccination in the APS population, followed by a low incidence of mild post-vaccinal reactions, had more benefits in protection than in non-APS individuals.REFERENCES:NIL.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsNone Declared.
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients with lymphopproliferative diseases (LPD) and covid-19 have poor outcome as consequence of inadequate humoral and cellular immunity due to the hematological disease itself but also due to the administered chemotherapy which further increases the risk of complications and mortality. Aims: The aim of this study is to analyze demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, the presence of comorbidities, laboratory parameters, disease status, as well as outcome of the patients with COVID-19 and lymphoproliferative disease and compare them with characteristics of covid-19 infection in patients from general population (GP). Methods: This is a prospective multicenter observational study conducted in the following 3 University centers in period from 15 March 2020 to 31 October 2021. The study included hospitalized patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection: 161 patients with LPD and 162 patients from the GP. Statistical analysis included demographic statistics, the χ2 test, the Mann-Whitney test, Kaplan-Meier method for analysis of survival and multivariate logistic regression model for analysis of risk factors for mortality. Results: In the LPD group, there were 54 patients (33.54%) with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 72 patients (44.72%) with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma/Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL/HL) and 35 patients (21.74%) with multiple myeloma (MM). Ninety-six (59,63%) patients were on active treatment and 14(8.7%) patients were newly diagnosed. The LPD and GP group differed significantly in relation to age (66 vs. 54 years), gender (male: 60.2% vs. 75.3%), presence of comorbidities (109, 67.7% vs. 81, 50%) patients, covid score (mild 22.5% vs. 1.9%, moderate 80, 50.3% vs. 121, 74.7%), and severe/critical 44(27.1%) vs. 38(23.4%) patients. Group of patients with LPD had also significantly lower level of hemoglobin, lowest value of lymphocytes, platelets, higher level of CRP, ferritin, Ddimer (on admission and maximal values) and LDH with respect to group of patients from GP. Mortality rate was higher in LPD group of patients than in GP group (45, 28% vs. 26, 16%) patients. Among the LPD group, the highest mortality rate was observed in patients with MM (16, 45.71%) patients, followed by CLL (15, 27.9%) patients and NHL/HL group (14, 19.4%) patients. Independent factors related to survival are high value of D dimer, anemia (hemoglobin <100g/l) and moderate/critical COVID score in LPD group, while maximal value of CRP, anemia, leucocytosis and age (>60 years) in GP group. Summary/Conclusion: Our study showed significant difference in the characteristics and outcome in covid-19 between patients with LPD and patients from GP. Patients with LPD are older, they have significantly higher inflammatory parameters and more frequent presence of comorbidities compared to patients from GP. Independent factors related to survival in the LPD group are high values of D dimer, moderate/critical COVID score and anemia, while maximal values of CRP, anemia and older age are identified in the GP group.