Impact of COVID-19 in immunosuppressive drug-naïve autoimmune disorders: Autoimmune gastritis, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and autoimmune thyroid disease

Abstract

Few conflicting data are currently available on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with autoimmune disorders. The studies performed so far are influenced, in most cases, by the treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, making it difficult to ascertain the burden of autoimmunity per se. For this reason, herein we assessed the susceptibility to COVID-19 in immunosuppressive drug-naïve patients with autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune gastritis (AIG), celiac disease (CD), type 1 diabetes (T1D), and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD). Telephone interviews were conducted on 400 patients-100 for each group-in May 2021 by looking at the positivity of molecular nasopharyngeal swabs and/or serology for SARS-CoV-2, the need for hospitalization, the outcome, and the vaccination status. Overall, a positive COVID-19 test was reported in 33 patients (8.2%), comparable with that of the Lombardy general population (8.2%). In particular, seven patients with AIG, 9 with CD, 8 with T1D, and 9 with AITD experienced COVID-19. Only three patients required hospitalization, none died, and 235 (58.7%) were vaccinated, 43 with AIG, 47 with CD, 91 with T1D, and 54 with AITD. These results seem to suggest that autoimmunity per se does not increase the susceptibility to COVID-19. Also, COVID-19 seems to be mild in these patients, as indicated by the low hospitalization rates and adverse outcomes, although further studies are needed to better clarify this issue.

Keywords: COVID-19; autoimmune gastritis; autoimmune thyroid disease; autoimmunity; celiac disease; immunosuppressive drugs; type 1 diabetes.