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Calcineurin Inhibitor-Based Immunosuppression and COVID-19: Results from a Multidisciplinary Cohort of Patients in Northern Italy

Authors :
Lorenzo Cavagna
Carlo Vancheri
Elena Ticozzelli
Valentina Bonetto
Carlomaurizio Montecucco
Carlo Pellegrini
Carlo Marena
Gianluca Sambataro
Alessandro Bertani
Maria Cristina Monti
Elena Seminari
Federica Meloni
Tiberio Oggionni
Marilena Gregorini
Francesco Bertuccio
Barbara Cattadori
Emanuele Bozzalla-Cassione
Valentina Zuccaro
Angelo Corsico
Monica Morosini
Alessandro Biglia
S Pelenghi
Angela Di Matteo
Annalisa Turco
Massimiliano Gnecchi
Teresa Rampino
Giovanni Zanframundo
Patrizio Vitulo
Eleonora Francesca Pattonieri
Veronica Codullo
Source :
Microorganisms, Microorganisms, Vol 8, Iss 977, p 977 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
MDPI, 2020.

Abstract

The role of immunosuppression in SARS-CoV-2-related disease (COVID-19) is a matter of debate. We here describe the course and the outcome of COVID-19 in a cohort of patients undergoing treatment with calcineurin inhibitors. In this monocentric cohort study, data were collected from the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy up to 28 April 2020. Patients were followed at our hospital for solid organ transplantation or systemic rheumatic disorders (RMDs) and were on calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based therapy. Selected patients were referred from the North of Italy. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical course of COVID-19 in this setting. We evaluated 385 consecutive patients (220 males, 57%; median age 61 years, IQR 48–69); 331 (86%) received solid organ transplantation and 54 (14%) had a RMD. CNIs were the only immunosuppressant administered in 47 patients (12%). We identified 14 (4%) COVID-19 patients, all transplanted, mainly presenting with fever (86%) and diarrhea (71%). Twelve patients were hospitalized and two of them died, both with severe comorbidities. No patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome or infectious complications. The surviving 10 patients are now fully recovered. The clinical course of COVID-19 patients on CNIs is generally mild, and the risk of superinfection seems low.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20762607
Volume :
8
Issue :
7
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Microorganisms
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....dac7b36ee7c7fcab3a0e0c742716ba49