COVID-19 pneumonia in two patients with ankylosing spondylitis using anti-TNF agents

Kurt, I.; Edis, E. Ç Mert H. T. E.

The new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) reported to have originated in China in December 2019 has spread rapidly all over the world and has become a global problem. COVID-19 is more common and more severe in people with such comorbidities as cardiovascular disease, hypertension and diabetes. There is a lack of consensus on whether rheumato-logical diseases and drugs used in their treatment increase the risk of developing COVID-19. There is also lack of data in literature regarding the develop-ment of COVID-19, especially in patients with Anky-losing Spondylitis. This case presentation relates to two patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis using anti-TNF agents who were affected by COVID-19. The younger of the two, who had no comorbidities, healed quickly with antiviral and supportive therapy, while the older patient, who had cardiovascular and chronic kidney comorbidities, experienced an aggres-sive disease course and did not survive. The course of COVID-19 infection and mortality is strongly con-nected with underlying comorbidities. Our focus here is on rheumatological diseases, their immunosup-pressive treatments and their impact on the course of the novel type Coronavirus infection, based on two cases of Ankylosing Spondylitis, in light of literature.