Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis treated with secukinumab: a case-based review

CAse-BAsed REview sTandards (CABARET): Considerations for Authors, Reviewers, and Editors

The publication landscape for case reports has undergone a significant shift, with many high-impact journals deprioritizing or ceasing their publication altogether. This trend has led to the emergence of case-based reviews as an alternative to traditional case reports. Several factors drive this shift. Case-based reviews offer a more comprehensive synthesis of the literature compared to single case reports. They employ systematic search methodologies, reducing the risk of excluding relevant data, and providing robust evidence. From a publisher's perspective, case-based reviews have a greater potential for citation. While recommendations exist for writing traditional case reports, such as the CAse REports (CARE) guidelines, there is a lack of published recommendations for composing case-based reviews. This review aims to address this gap by providing guidance on drafting high-quality case-based reviews.

COVID-19 disease and autoimmune disorders: A mutual pathway

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a real challenge for humanity with high morbidity and mortality. Despite being primarily a respiratory illness, COVID-19 can affect nearly every human body tissue, causing many diseases. After viral infection, the immune system can recognize the viral antigens presented by the immune cells. This immune response is usually controlled and terminated once the infection is aborted. Nevertheless, in some patients, the immune reaction becomes out of control with the development of autoimmune diseases. Several human tissue antigens showed a strong response with antibodies directed against many severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins, such as SARS-CoV-2 S, N, and autoimmune target proteins. The immunogenic effects of SARS-CoV-2 are due to the sizeable viral RNA molecules with interrupted transcription increasing the pool of epitopes with increased chances of molecular mimicry and interaction with the host immune system, the overlap between some viral and human peptides, the viral induced-tissue damage, and the robust and complex binding between sACE-2 and SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Consequently, COVID-19 and its vaccine may trigger the development of many autoimmune diseases in a predisposed patient. This review discusses the mutual relation between COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases, their interactive effects on each other, the role of the COVID-19 vaccine in triggering autoimmune diseases, the factors affecting the severity of COVID-19 in patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, and the different ways to minimize the risk of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Home-based rehabilitation in patients over 60 with stabilized ankylosing spondylitis during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 has become a significant healthcare issue, particularly challenging for patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), because immune-related diseases and their treatments could adversely affect the susceptibility to or severity of a viral infection.

OBJECTIVE

This study is conducted to present an exercise rehabilitation program that patients older than 60 years with AS can do at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Three Delphi surveys were conducted to reach a consensus on home-based rehabilitation programs. This study recruited ten experts and performed three Delphi rounds for a month.

RESULTS

The expert panel suggested that home-based rehabilitation for the patients should be carried out with a clear rehabilitation goal. Their final recommendations are to institute a program aimed to ease symptoms, such as pain and stiffness; encourage patients to consult with experts regularly to ensure that they perform exercise rehabilitation properly at home; add fast walking and stretching to the rehabilitation program; and see if indoor cycling, Pilates, or yoga could be appropriate.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that patients with AS over 60 should repeat low-intensity exercises, such as stretching, for an hour a day, four to six times a week during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evidence for the Use of Secukinumab in Patients with Radiographic and Non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis in the Last 5 Years

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is an inflammatory rheumatic disorder that causes chronic pain, primarily in the spine and sacroiliac joints. It is characterized by the presence of type 1 major histocompatibility complex HLA-B27 genetic marker, arthritis in peripheral joints, enthesitis and/or dactylitis and extra-articular manifestations. Current guidelines recommend biological therapy when first-line therapy is not sufficiently effective. The finding that the interleukin (IL)-17 axis is vital for the pathogenesis of axSpA propelled the development of secukinumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody directed against IL-17A. The present review provides evidence on the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in the treatment of radiographic and non-radiographic axSpA from nine randomized controlled phase III trials, as well as evidence from real-world observational analyses. The primary endpoint in six clinical trials was the proportion of patients meeting the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for either 20% or 40% improvement (ASAS20, ASAS40) at week 16. Significantly more patients achieved the primary endpoint with secukinumab compared with placebo in all the studies except MEASURE 4. Both clinical trials and real-world studies showed significant improvements in the secondary endpoints of disease activity, quality of life, and pain and fatigue relative to placebo. The benefits of secukinumab were generally sustained during longer-term (up to 5 years) treatment. Overall, secukinumab was well tolerated with a low frequency of adverse events and treatment persistence was high in the real-world setting. Although indirect comparisons suggest that secukinumab and adalimumab have comparable efficacy and safety, they are being directly compared in the ongoing SURPASS study. During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it is advisable to continue biological therapy in patients who do not have severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection, but interrupt treatment during an infection, reinitiating once the patient has recovered from the infection. In conclusion, secukinumab is a largely safe and effective treatment for radiographic and non-radiographic axSpA.

Axial spondyloarthritis may protect against poor outcomes in COVID-19: propensity score matched analysis of 9766 patients from a nationwide multi-centric research network

Introduction

The outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) have not been explored in detail. Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) are commonly used for ax-SpA patients, and how they influence outcomes may have implications on COVID-19 management.

Methods

A nationwide multi-centric research network was queried for patients with ax-SpA, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic SpA (nr-SpA) who had developed COVID-19. An equal number of propensity score(PS) matched controls were extracted from the database amongst patients with COVID-19 who did not have any inflammatory arthritis. Outcomes included mortality and others including hospitalization, intensive care unit, ventilation, acute kidney injury (AKI), renal replacement therapy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cerebral infarction, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and sepsis.

Results

We identified 9766 patients with ax-SpA (924 AS and 8842 nr-SpA) and 691,862 without SpA who had COVID-19. In the unmatched comparison, patients with ax-SpA had higher risk ratios (RR) for all outcomes. After matching for demographics and comorbidities, patients with ax-SpA had lower RR for mortality [RR: 0.707 (95% CI: 0.598–0.836), p < 0.0001], severe COVID-19 [RR: 0.791 (0.69–0.906), p = 0.0007], hospitalization [RR: 0.872 (0.826–0.921), p < 0.0001], and AKI [RR: 0.902 (0.816–0.997), p = 0.044]. Only the risk of VTE was higher in ax-SpA patients [RR: 1.219 (1.037–1.433), p = 0.016]. Amongst the ax-SpA group, males had worse outcomes in 9 out of the 11 domains except for VTE and cerebral infarction, while blacks had worse outcomes in all except for mortality and the need for renal replacement therapy. AS had similar risk ratios for all outcomes compared with nr-SpA except hospitalization [RR: 1.457 (1.03–2.06), p = 0.0318]. There was no difference in outcomes in patients who had received TNFi in the year previous to COVID-19 infection. Ax-SpA patients who had been prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the 3 months prior to COVID-19 had poorer outcomes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, COVID-19 outcomes were better in patients with ax-SpA as compared with PS matched controls except for increased risk for VTE. The use of TNFi is not associated with better or worse outcomes. These apparently protective effects observed need to be validated and explored further.

Key Points • Patients with axial spondyloarthritis have lower mortality and morbidity during COVID-19 infections as compared with propensity score matched controls. • Axial spondyloarthritis is associated with higher risks for venous thromboembolism during COVID-19. • There is no difference in outcomes between ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic spondyloarthritis except in rates of hospitalization, which were higher in ankylosing spondylitis. • Use of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors did not influence COVID-19 outcomes.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a cohort of patients with vein occlusion

Background and objectives

A new coronavirus disease in humans, COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged in December 2019. It has been associated with the development of thrombotic phenomena. Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is mainly a consequence of vascular risk factors (VRF). This study aimed to analyze cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of patients with RVO (Valdecilla cohort).

Patients and methods

Between December 2008 and December 2020, 429 patients with RVO were attended to in our clinic. Ten patients had COVID-19, one of which did not have VRF or thrombophilia. The remaining nine patients had RVO prior to the infection and VRF, six had carotid atherosclerosis, and four had antiphospholipid syndrome. The infection did not cause thrombotic phenomena in any of them.

Conclusions

RVO is a rare manifestation of COVID-19. In our cohort of patients with RVO, COVID-19 disease did not lead to thrombotic events.

Attitudes of patients with a rheumatic disease on drug use in the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Anti-rheumatic drugs can increase the predisposition to infection, and patients may be unaware of continuing their treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

This study aimed to assess whether patients maintain their treatment for rheumatic conditions during the pandemic period and determine the factors responsible for discontinuation.

Methods

Patients were randomly selected from the prospectively collected database of our tertiary referral center. The patients were interviewed by telephone through a standardized closed-ended questionnaire, which is targeting the continuity of the treatment plan and the considerations related to the individual choice. The patients were asked whether they hesitated to visit the hospital for follow-up or intravenous drug administration.

Results

A total of 278 patients completed the questionnaire. While 62 of the patients (22.3%) had reduced or interrupted the treatment, only 11 patients (3.9%) stopped the treatment completely. A significant difference was observed between the duration of illness and the discontinuation of treatment. (p = 0.023) There was a significant difference in disease activity between the group that stopped treatment and continued treatment. (p = 0.001) There was no statistically significant difference in other demographic characteristics. One hundred thirty-five patients (48.6%) made the treatment decision by themselves, and 80% continued the treatment. Reasons for stopping the treatment were anxiety (48.4%), not being able to go to the hospital for intravenous treatment (45.1%), and not being able to find the drug (6.5%).

Conclusion

Since patients with long-term illnesses were found to be significantly more likely to stop their treatment, this group of patients should be monitored.

Interleukin-17A (IL-17A): A silent amplifier of COVID-19

One of the hallmarks of COVID-19 is the cytokine storm that provokes primarily pneumonia followed by systemic inflammation. Emerging evidence has identified a potential link between elevated interleukin-17A (IL-17A) levels and disease severity and progression. Considering that per se, IL-17A can activate several inflammatory pathways, it is plausible to hypothesize an involvement of this cytokine in COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Thus, IL-17A could represent a marker of disease progression and/or a target to develop therapeutic strategies. This hypothesis paper aims to propose this "unique" cytokine as a silent amplifier of the COVID-19 immune response and (potentially) related therapy.

Rheumatological complications of Covid 19

Introduction

COVID-19 has caused unprecedented hardships in the 21st century with more than 150 million infections. Various immunological phenomena have been described during the course of the infection, and this infection has also triggered autoimmunity. Rheumatological illnesses have been described following resolution of the acute infection; hence we sought to conduct a review of the rheumatological complications of COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted a literature search for articles relating to sequelae of COVID-19 from Jan 2020 to 30th April 2021.

Results

We found a number of reports of inflammatory arthritis after SARS-CoV-2 infection. SLE and renal disease have been described, and vasculitis also appears to be a common complication. Rhabdomyolysis and myositis has also been reported in a number of patients. We also found some evidence of large vessel vasculitis in ‘long COVID’ patients.

Conclusions

This review highlights a number of important complications such as inflammatory arthritis, lupus-like disease, myostis and vasculitis following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

[Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a cohort of patients with vein occlusion]

Background and objectives

A new coronavirus disease in humans, COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, emerged in December 2019. It has been associated with the development of thrombotic phenomena. Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is mainly a consequence of vascular risk factors (VRF). This study aimed to analyze cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of patients with RVO (Valdecilla cohort).

Patients and methods

Between December 2008 and December 2020, 429 patients with RVO were attended to in our clinic. Ten patients had COVID-19, one of which did not have VRF or thrombophilia. The remaining nine patients had RVO prior to the infection and VRF, six had carotid atherosclerosis, and four had antiphospholipid syndrome. The infection did not cause thrombotic phenomena in any of them.

Conclusions

RVO is a rare manifestation of COVID-19. In our cohort of patients with RVO, COVID-19 disease did not lead to thrombotic events.

Postdischarge rheumatic and musculoskeletal symptoms following hospitalization for COVID-19: prospective follow-up by phone interviews

To describe the rheumatic and musculoskeletal symptoms at hospitalization as well as their persistence/severity after discharge with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and to identify whether age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and length of hospital stay are associated with persistence of these symptoms. In this single-center cohort study, comprising 300 participants, two phone interviews were conducted (2-week and 1-month after hospitalization) and symptoms were queried with a standardized form. This form included musculoskeletal symptoms and other COVID-19 symptoms. Considering all symptoms (musculoskeletal and other), 100.0%, 86.7%, and 72.0% of patients reported one or more symptoms, at hospitalization, 2-week, and 1-month, respectively. Considering only musculoskeletal symptoms, 92.3%, 72.7%, and 56.3% of patients reported any musculoskeletal symptom at hospitalization, 2-week, and 1-month, respectively. The musculoskeletal symptoms were fatigue (44.3% of patients reported), back pain (22.7%), arthralgia (22.0%), myalgia (21.0%), low back pain (16.3%), and neck pain (10.3%); the other symptoms were shortness of breath (26.3%), loss of taste (15.0%), cough (14.0%), loss of smell (12.3%), loss of appetite (10.3%), headache (8.7%), sore throat (3.0%), diarrhea (1.3%), dizziness (1.3%), and fever (0.3%) at 1-month. Increasing BMI was associated with higher odds of persistence of fatigue (OR: 1.08, 1.03 to 1.13), myalgia (OR: 1.08, 1.01 to 1.14), and arthralgia (OR: 1.07, 1.02 to 1.14, p = 0.012) at 1-month. Nearly three-quarters reported one or more symptoms, with more than half of patients reported any musculoskeletal symptom at 1 month. The most common musculoskeletal symptom was fatigue, followed by back pain, arthralgia, myalgia, low back pain, and neck pain. The persistence of fatigue, myalgia, and arthralgia was related to BMI. The study results increase our understanding of the spectrum of COVID-19, which, in turn, may lead to more efficient and better care for COVID-19 survivors.

Reduced frequency of T helper 17 and T helper 1 cells and their association with critical coronavirus disease 2019

There is very little knowledge about the immune responses, particularly cellular immunity to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The main objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of T helper (Th) cell subtypes, including Th1, Th17, and Treg cells, in moderate-to-severe and critical COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls. Twenty-nine moderate-to-severe and 13 critical patients confirmed for COVID-19, and 15 healthy subjects were included in this study. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing Th1 and interleukin-17A-producing Th17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood were measured with flow cytometry. The frequency of Th1 and Th17 was significantly decreased in critical patients compared to healthy subjects (aMD: -2.76 and - 2.34) and moderate-to-severe patients (aMD: -1.89 and - 1.89), respectively (p < 0.05). Differences were not significant between moderate-to-severe patients and healthy subjects for both Th1 (p = 0.358) and Th17 (p = 0.535), respectively. In contrast, significant difference was not observed between study subjects regarding the frequency of Treg cells. Patients with critical COVID-19 had a markedly lower Th1/Treg and Th17/Treg ratios compared with the controls and moderate-to-severe cases. Our study showed a dysregulated balance of Th1 and Th17 cells and its relation to the severity of COVID-19.

Population-level interest in anti-rheumatic drugs in the COVID-19 era: insights from Google Trends

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE

The general public may utilize online information through search engines for implications and risks of some anti-rheumatic drugs. These drugs have been used in the management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and associated inflammatory sequelae or cytokine storm of infection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the population-level interest in anti-rheumatic drugs during the COVID-19 era, by analyzing changes in Google search frequency data.

METHOD

To obtain the relative search volume (RSV) of anti-rheumatic drugs, we queried Google Trends for 78 search terms representing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticoids, antigout agents, conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immunosuppressants, biologics, and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors within the USA. Three 8-week periods in 2020 (March 15-May 9), (May 10-July 4), and (July 5-August 29) representing the initial- and short-term periods were compared to overlapping periods of the preceding 3 years (2017-2019).

RESULTS

We found statistically significant increases in RSV for colchicine, hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab (and its brand name-Actemra), and anakinra, and statistically significant decreases among brand names of immunosuppressive agents (i.e., mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, tacrolimus, cyclosporine) during both the initial- and short-term COVID-19 periods as compared to overlapping periods of the preceding 3 years.

CONCLUSION

There were significant increases in RSV of colchicine, hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab, and anakinra during both initial- and short-term COVID-19 periods when compared to overlapping periods of the preceding 3 years reflecting a heightened level of information-seeking on these drugs during the pandemic. Rheumatologists should address this increase in informational demand. Further research assessing medium- and long-term interest in anti-rheumatic drugs is required to increase our knowledge on this new pandemic. Key Points •This study was aimed to investigate the population-level interest in anti-rheumatic drugs in the COVID-19 era, by analyzing changes in Google search frequency data. •Significant increases were seen in relative searches for colchicine, hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab, and anakinra during both initial and short-term COVID-19 periods when compared to similar periods of 2017-2019 reflecting a heightened level of information-seeking on these drugs during the pandemic. •Rheumatologists should address this increase in informational demand for colchicine, hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab, and anakinra.

COVID-19 illness and autoimmune diseases: recent insights

BACKGROUND

The aim of this review is to explore whether patients with autoimmune diseases (AIDs) were at high risk of infection during the COVID-19 epidemic and how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic affected immune system.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed using the foreign databases (NCBI, web of science, EBSCO, ELSEVIER ScienceDirect) and Chinese databases (WanFang, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), VIP, CBM) to locate all relevant publications (up to January 10, 2021). The search strategies used Medical Search Headings (MeSH) headings and keywords for "COVID-19" or "SARS-CoV-2" or "coronavirus" and "autoimmune disease".

RESULTS

This review evaluates the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the immune system through ACE-2 receptor binding as the main pathway for cell attachment and invasion. It is speculated that SARS-COV-2 infection can activate lymphocytes and inflammatory response, which may play a role in the clinical onset of AIDs and also patients were treated with immunomodulatory drugs during COVID-19 outbreak. Preliminary studies suggested that the risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19 in patients with AIDs treated with immunomodulators or biologics might not increase. A large number of samples are needed for further verification, leading to an excessive immune response to external stimuli.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between autoimmune diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infection is complex. During the COVID-19 epidemic, individualized interventions for AIDs should be provided such as Internet-based service.

Public interest in rheumatic diseases and rheumatologist in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Google Trends

To evaluate the public interest in rheumatic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Google Trends was queried to analyze search trends in the United States for numerous rheumatic diseases and also the interest in a rheumatologist. Three 8-week periods in 2020 ((March 15-May 9), (May 10-July 4), and (July 5-August 29)) were compared to similar periods of the prior 4 years (2016-2019). Compared to a similar time period between 2016 and 2019, a significant decrease was found in the relative search volume for more than half of the search terms during the initial March 15-May 9, 2020 period. However, this trend appeared to reverse during the July 5-August 29, 2020 period where the relative volume for nearly half of the search terms were not statistically significant compared to similar periods of the prior 4 years. In addition, this period showed a significant increase in relative volume for the terms: Axial spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, antiphospholipid syndrome, scleroderma, Kawasaki disease, Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, and rheumatologist. There was a significant decrease in relative search volume for many rheumatic diseases between March 15 and May 9, 2020 when compared to similar periods during the prior 4 years. However, the trends reversed after the initial period ended. There was an increase in relative search for the term "rheumatologist" between July and August 2020 suggesting the need for rheumatologists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers and healthcare providers should address the informational demands on rheumatic diseases and needs for rheumatologists by the general public during pandemics like COVID-19.

Comorbidities in rheumatic diseases need special consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic

Comorbidities in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) not only increase morbidity and mortality but also confound disease activity, limit drug usage and increase chances of severe infections or drug-associated adverse effects. Most RMDs lead to accelerated atherosclerosis and variable manifestations of the metabolic syndrome. Literature on COVID-19 in patients with RMDs, and the effects of various comorbidities on COVID-19 was reviewed. The initial data of COVID-19 infections in RMDs have not shown an increased risk for severe disease or the use of different immunosuppression. However, there are some emerging data that patients with RMDs and comorbidities may fare worse. Various meta-analyses have reiterated that pre-existing hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, lung disease or obesity predispose to increased COVID-19 mortality. All these comorbidities are commonly encountered in the various RMDs. Presence of comorbidities in RMDs pose a greater risk than the RMDs themselves. A risk score based on comorbidities in RMDs should be developed to predict severe COVID-19 and death. Additionally, there should be active management of such comorbidities to mitigate these risks. The pandemic must draw our attention towards, and not away from, comorbidities.