Systemic sclerosis and the COVID-19 pandemic: World Scleroderma Foundation preliminary advice for patient management

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 79; no. 6; p. 724
• Main Authors: Matucci-Cerinic, Marco, Bruni, Cosimo, Allanore, Yannick, Clementi, Massimo, Dagna, Lorenzo, Damjanov, Nemanja S, de Paulis, Amato, Denton, Christopher P, Distler, Oliver, Fox, David, Furst, Daniel E, Khanna, Dinesh, Krieg, Thomas, Kuwana, Masataka, Lee, Eun Bong, Li, Mengtao, Pillai, Shiv, Wang, Yukai, Zeng, Xiaofeng, Taliani, Gloria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-06-2020
• Subjects: Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - therapeutic use; Betacoronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - drug therapy; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - physiopathology; COVID-19; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - administration & dosage; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - immunology; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - virology; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral - drug therapy; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - physiopathology; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - drug therapy; Respiratory Distress Syndrome - virology; SARS-CoV-2; Scleroderma, Systemic - epidemiology; Scleroderma, Systemic - immunology; Scleroderma, Systemic - therapy; Scleroderma, Systemic - virology; autoimmune diseases; systemic; hydroxychloroquine; scleroderma
• ISSN: 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-217407

Due to the frequent presence of interstitial lung disease and widespread use of immunosuppressive treatment, systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients may be considered at risk for a more severe disease course and higher mortality when they develop Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - Coronavirus - 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infection. Therefore, with World Scleroderma Foundation endorsement, experts from different specialties including rheumatology, virology and clinical immunology gathered virtually to answer to the main practical clinical questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection coming from both patients and physicians. This preliminary advice is aligned with other national and international recommendations, adapted for SSc patients.