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2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases
Author(s) -
Taxonera Carlos,
Sagastagoitia Iñigo,
Alba Cristina,
Mañas Norberto,
Olivares David,
Rey Enrique
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/apt.15804
Subject(s) - medicine , inflammatory bowel disease , incidence (geometry) , cumulative incidence , population , covid-19 , crohn's disease , gastroenterology , intensive care unit , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , cohort , physics , environmental health , optics
Summary Background Data on patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) who have had 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) disease (COVID‐19) are needed. Aims To report the clinical characteristics, including gastrointestinal symptoms, of COVID‐19 in IBD patients, and to assess the risk of COVID‐19 in IBD. Methods This case series included consecutive IBD patients with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19. Age‐adjusted cumulative incidences were compared with the general population in the Madrid region. Results Through April 8, 12 of 1918 IBD patients were diagnosed with COVID‐19. The average age was 52 years, 75% of the patients were female and 58.3% had Crohn’s disease. Seven patients (58%) were on maintenance treatment with immunomodulators/biologics, of these four with combined therapy (33%). Eight patients (66%) required hospitalisation (one intensive care unit admission, and two deaths), and four patients were isolated at home. Nine patients had diarrhoea ranging between 4 and 10 loose stools per day (mean 5.4, SD 1.6). In five patients (42%) diarrhoea was a presenting symptom. In two patients, diarrhoea was the only symptom at debut. Cumulative incidence of COVID‐19 was 6.2 per 1000 IBD patients. IBD patients had a lower adjusted incidence ratio of COVID‐19 (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.70‐0.77; P < 0.001), and a similar associated mortality ratio (OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.84‐1.06; P = 0.36), compared with the general population. Conclusions IBD patients do not have an increased risk of COVID‐19 and associated mortality compared with the general population. In many IBD patients, diarrhoea was a presenting symptom, and sometimes, was the only symptom at onset of COVID‐19.