COVID-19 INFECTION AS A CAUSE FOR PROGRESSION OF PREVIOUSLY ASYMPTOMATIC SARCOIDOSIS TO SYMPTOMATIC SARCOIDOSIS

ABSTRACT

SESSION TITLE Unique Inflammatory and Autoimmune Complications of COVID-19 Infections SESSION TYPE Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON 10/19/2022 1245 pm - 145 pm INTRODUCTION: Both COVID-19 infection and sarcoidosis have been associated with long-term systemic complications with current research attempting to link these two diseases based on inflammatory properties. This case presents a patient with previously biopsy proven asymptomatic sarcoidosis who progressed to symptomatic sarcoidosis following severe COVID-19 infection. CASE PRESENTATION A 58-year-old previously active female with known asymptomatic, biopsy proven pulmonary sarcoidosis presented to hospital in February 2021 with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring treatment with Decadron and Remdesivir. She was discharged home on room air but continued to have fatigue, shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing. Due to persistent respiratory symptoms and new onset vomiting with anorexia, she sought evaluation in the emergency department in July 2021. She was febrile with blood work significant for leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. She was found to have Anaplasmosis and despite adequate treatment continued to have persistent hypoxia with oxygen saturation of 82%. CT chest showed new areas of bilateral upper lobe predominant ground glass opacities and ill-defined soft tissue density in the subcarinal region. She was started on inhalers and underwent bronchoscopy with negative infectious disease work-up. She was discharged home on both inhalers and oral prednisone. Upon subsequent follow-up with pulmonology, she reported significant improvement in respiratory symptoms. Repeat CT chest after two of months of oral prednisone showed near resolution of all previous findings. After three of months of steroids, she began a prolonged steroid taper of one month. She reported absence of respiratory symptoms off of steroids. DISCUSSION: Current research is focusing on patients at greater risk of developing symptomatic sarcoidosis due to Th17 cells and the specific cytokines these cells produce. Several case reports suggest correlation between the inflammatory cascade induced by sarcoidosis and COVID-19 infection. One such case report suggests that COVID-19 infection can be a trigger for developing symptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis. Our patient would be the first reported case of biopsy proven previously asymptomatic sarcoidosis developing into symptomatic sarcoidosis following severe COVID-19 infection. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, COVID-19 infection may not only predispose individuals to developing pulmonary sarcoid but may also contribute to the progression of once asymptomatic sarcoid to symptomatic sarcoid. Reference #1 Capaccione, K. M., McGroder, C., Garcia, C. K., Fedyna S., Sagi, A., & Salvatore, M. M. (2022). Covid-19-induced pulmonary sarcoid A case report and review of the literature. Clinical Imaging, 83, 152-158. https//doi.org/10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.12.021 Reference #2 Chen, Edward S. "Reassessing Th1 versus Th17.1 in Sarcoidosis New Tricks for Old Dogma.” The European Respiratory Journal, vol. 51, no. 3, 2018, p. 1800010. Reference #3 Xu, Zhe, et al. "Pathological Findings of COVID-19 Associated with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.” The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, vol. 8, no. 4, 2020, pp. 420–422. DISCLOSURES No relevant relationships by Skylar Hartmann No relevant relationships by Jessica Wiseman