Abstract

MONTIEL-JAROLIN, Dora et al. COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Rev. cient. cienc. salud [online]. 2021, vol.3, n.2, pp.46-53. ISSN 2664-2891.  https://doi.org/10.53732/rccsalud/03.02.2021.46.

Introduction. Some studies have suggested that hydroxychloroquine has antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are frequently treated with hydroxychloroquine, but little is known about the implications of COVID-19 in these patients. Objective. To describe the clinical characteristics of SLE patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Materials and Method. Cros-sectional descriptive study of patients with COVID-19 who consulted at the Hospital Nacional between June 2020 and August 2021. The diagnosis of SLE was established according to the EULAR 2019 criteria. The infection by the SARS-COV-2 virus was confirmed by RT-PCR on the nasopharyngeal swab. Results. Of 350 patients with SLE, 23 (7%) had COVID-19. The COVID-19 patients were between 19 to 58 years of age (median: 38 years), 20 (87%) females. They presented odynophagia 14 (58%), fever 11 (46%), dyspnea 8 (33%), headache 7 (29%), anosmia 4 (17%), ageusia 4 (17%), nasal congestion 4 (17%), diarrhea 3 (13%), 14 (60.9%) other comorbidities. Sixteen patients (70%) were receiving hydroxychloroquine, prednisone 7 (30%), mycophenolate 7 (30%). The disease was critical in 5 (22%) and severe in 2 (9%), 5 (22%) admitted to the ICU and 6 (26%) died. Patients with chronic kidney disease had a higher risk of dying (75% vs 15.8%). There was no difference in mortality between the patients who received or did not receive hydroxychloroquine (18.8% vs 42.9%). Conclusion: Mortality was high. The use of hydroxychloroquine was not a protective factor against death in these patients.

Keywords : systemic lupus erythematosus; COVID-19; immunosuppression.

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