Open AccessCOVID-19 in patients with severe asthma using biological agents
Author(s) -
Kurtuluş Aksu,
Şenay Demir,
Musa Topel,
Selma Yeşilkaya,
Hale Ateş,
İlkay Koca Kalkan,
Ali Öncül,
Dilek Çuhadar Erçelebi,
Süleyman Türkyılmaz
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
tuberkuloz ve toraks/tüberküloz ve toraks
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.157
H-Index - 18
ISSN - 0494-1373
DOI - 10.5578/tt.20219721
Subject(s) - covid-19 , asthma , medicine , pandemic , virology , betacoronavirus , intensive care medicine , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , outbreak
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, case reports have been published where patients with severe asthma using biological agents survived with a mild course of illness and encouraged the continuation of biological therapies in patients with severe asthma. However, contrary to previous information, a more severe course of COVID-19 has recently been reported in severe asthmatics using biological therapy compared to the general population. To evaluate the COVID-19 rate and disease severity in severe asthmatics using biological agents. A retrospective study was conducted in patients with severe asthma treated with biological agents. Data concerning whether the subjects had contracted COVID-19 and the severity of the disease were evaluated. Eihgty-four severe asthmatics using biological agents (omalizumab or mepolizumab) aged 48.3 ± 10.6 years (mean ± standard deviation) with female/male ratio: 53 (63.1%)/31 (36.9%) were included in the study. Among participants 13 (15.5%) had contracted COVID-19. The course of COVID-19 was mild in five (38.5%) and moderate in eight patients (61.5%), while none of the patients had a severe course of COVID-19. Mechanical ventilation or intensive care follow-up was not required in any of the six patients (46.2%) who were treated as inpatients. All participants survived COVID-19 in full recovery and no deaths occurred in the cases. A higher rate of COVID-19 was found in patients with severe asthma using biologics compared to those reported in previous reports. However, all patients with COVID-19 have a mild to moderate disease course.