Mild COVID-19 Symptoms in an Infliximab-Treated Ulcerative Colitis Patient: Can Ongoing Anti-TNF Therapy Protect against the Viral Hyperinflammatory Response and Avoid Aggravated Outcomes?

Abdullah A, Neurath M, Atreya R (2020)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

DOI: 10.1159/000508740

Abstract

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, represents a potentially major challenge to patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases who are treated with immunomodulatory therapies. We report the case of an 18-year-old ulcerative colitis patient in sustained clinical remission who 4 days after application of her ongoing therapy with the anti-TNF antibody infliximab developed mild respiratory and abdominal symptoms. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19 but did not need hospitalization. The clinical symptoms completely resolved within 1 week after onset and there was no change in ulcerative colitis activity. The recently applied anti-TNF therapy did not lead to exacerbation of the infectious symptoms. Current recommendations strongly favor continuation of effective maintenance anti-TNF therapy in inflammatory bowel disease patients, as there is no evidence for aggravated CO-VID-19 upon infection. It is unclear whether anti-TNF treatment might even have assisted in preventing worsening of COVID-19 and improving outcome. Further data in the group of immune-mediated inflammatory disease patients under anti-TNF therapy are urgently needed.

Authors with CRIS profile

How to cite

APA:

Abdullah, A., Neurath, M., & Atreya, R. (2020). Mild COVID-19 Symptoms in an Infliximab-Treated Ulcerative Colitis Patient: Can Ongoing Anti-TNF Therapy Protect against the Viral Hyperinflammatory Response and Avoid Aggravated Outcomes? Visceral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1159/000508740

MLA:

Abdullah, Abdullah, Markus Neurath, and Raja Atreya. "Mild COVID-19 Symptoms in an Infliximab-Treated Ulcerative Colitis Patient: Can Ongoing Anti-TNF Therapy Protect against the Viral Hyperinflammatory Response and Avoid Aggravated Outcomes?" Visceral Medicine (2020).

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