Impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on uveitis patients receiving immunomodulatory and biological therapies.

Author: Sonia Ferrer Guillén (Spain)

Co-authors: Teresa Diago, Dana Sweis Dahleh, Belen Garrido

Purpose

The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of patients with non-infectius uveitis (NIU) receiving immunomodulatory (IMT) and biological therapies of developing COVID-19 and if there are major complications in these patients.

Setting/Venue

The data collection was performed at the Uveitis Unit in the Department of Ophthalmology of the Ribera Hospital, from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2021.

Methods

In this retrospective observational case series, data of subjects with NIU receiving corticosteroids, systemic IMT and/or biological agents were analyzed. Main outcome measures included develop COVID-19. No patients was advised to stop the ongoing inmunomodulatory and biological therapies during the pandemic.

Results

In this study, 51 patients with non-infectius uveitis were included. Seventeen subjects (33,3%) were receiving inmunomodulatory and biological therapies. Four patients (7,84%) have positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Of these 4 patients, three were taking inmunomodulatory therapy. None of these four patients developed severe symptoms.

Conlusions

It seems that the morbidity and mortality rates in immunosuppressed patients may not largely differ from the general population.

Financial Disclosure

None