Covid-19 in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases — Case Series from New York

Abstract

Data on Covid-19 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disease who have received anticytokine biologics, other immunomodulatory therapies, or both on a long-term basis are scarce. Trials to assess the efficacy of antirheumatic therapies such as hydroxychloroquine¹ and anticytokine therapies such as interleukin-6 inhibitors² to improve outcomes in patients with Covid-19 are ongoing. The rationale for their use is that worse outcomes (i.e., hospitalization, ventilation, or death) may be related to a proinflammatory cytokine storm.^3,4