Impact of the Long-Term Hydroxychloroquine Use on COVID-19 Severity in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease

Esra Kayacan Erdoğan; Hakan Apaydın; Özlem Karakaş; Bahar Özdemir; Berkan Armağan; Orhan Küçükşahin

doi:10.31067/acusaglik.1344997

EN

Impact of the Long-Term Hydroxychloroquine Use on COVID-19 Severity in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease

Abstract

Background-Aim: After the numerous studies, the clinical effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) against SARS-CoV-2 is now accepted limited. Besides this, HCQ has still been the first option in most rheumatology practices. To evaluate the frequency, severity and complication of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune rheumatologic disease (ARD) receiving and not receiving long-term HCQ. Methods: A total of 309 ARD patients were retrospectively evaluated for COVID-19 disease with a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and IgM/IgG antibody.Patients were grouped as HCQ or non-HCQ groups. COVID-19 clinical symptoms development of viral pneumonia, rates of hospitalization, mortality due to COVID-19 and time from initial symptom to viral pneumonia, clinical recovery and RT-PCR negativity were evaluated. Results: During the 13 month study period, 54 (17.4%) were diagnosed with COVID-19, the frequency of COVID-19 was similar between the HCQ (17.9%) and non-HCQ groups (16.7%), p=0.793. The frequency of the myalgia, arthralgia and sore throat were higher in the non-HCQ group, the frequency of other clinical signs and symptoms were higher in the HCQ group but none of them reached statistical significance. In all patients, viral pneumonia was diagnosed in 9 (16.7%), requiring hospitalization in 8 (14.8%), requiring oxygen therapy in 4 (7.4 %) patients and these severe COVID-19 clinical features were similar between groups. COVID-19 complications were seen in 2 patients, 1 of whom was mortality due to ARDS and one was supraventricular tachycardia but thromboembolism or rheumatologic disease activation were not observed. Conclusions: As with the frequency of COVID-19, severity of COVID19 were similar between patients with and without long-term HCQ use in ARD. COVID 19 complications were found to be rare in our study.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Rheumatology and Arthritis

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Esra Kayacan Erdoğan ^*
0000-0002-3570-875X
Türkiye

Hakan Apaydın
0000-0001-7219-1457
Türkiye

Özlem Karakaş
0000-0002-3031-3353
Türkiye

Bahar Özdemir
0000-0003-4711-4921
Türkiye

Berkan Armağan
0000-0003-4409-059X
Türkiye

Orhan Küçükşahin
0000-0003-4530-2304
Türkiye

Publication Date

July 1, 2024

Submission Date

August 17, 2023

Acceptance Date

May 29, 2024

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Volume: 15 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31067/acusaglik.1344997

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA56DS22AY

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

EndNote

Kayacan Erdoğan E, Apaydın H, Karakaş Ö, Özdemir B, Armağan B, Küçükşahin O (July 1, 2024) Impact of the Long-Term Hydroxychloroquine Use on COVID-19 Severity in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease. Acıbadem Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi 15 3 225–233.