Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on Gaucher disease patients in Italy

Cappellini, Maria Domenica; Barbato, Antonio; Carubbi, Francesca; Di Rocco, Maja; Giona, Fiorina; Giuffrida, Gaetano; Linari, Silvia; Quarta, Antonella; Scarpa, Maurizio; Spada, Marco

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has lead in 2020 to a global health emergency. On spring 2020 Italy recorded the second highest number of cases in a European country. Compared to the general population, patients with chronic disorders are expected to be more susceptible to and more severely affected by COVID-19 due to their pre-existing chronic morbidities. Whether patients with Gaucher Disease (GD) have a higher risk of infection remains to be elucidated. Certainly GD patients require specific treatment and the pandemia could have significantly impact the access to their treatment. In order to evaluate the challenges of Gaucher patients during pandemia, the restrictions related to the lockdown in terms of treatment, access to centres and to evaluate the number of infected patients and their outcomes, a survey was conducted in 10 Italian reference centres during pandemia. A questionnaire requiring the number of GD patients on care, type of therapy (ERT, SRT), in hospital or home, switch of therapy, changes from hospital to home during pandemia, and number of infected patients were required. Two hundred and forty five type 1 GD patients and 9 type 3 were enrolled.250 were on treatment of whom 195 (78%) were on ERT and 55 (22%) on SRT. 70/195 (35%) were already on home therapy pre COVID-19. At beginning of pandemia 39/125 (31%) switched to home therapy and 5 patients switched to SRT. Eleven patients reduced the number of infusions limiting the access to hospital. Only 1 patient who had occupational exposure (hospital worker) reported mild symptoms of COVID-19 confirmed positive swab without pulmonary involvement. He recovered without consequences. At beginning of pandemia the communication with patients was intensified recomanding to implament all the measures suggested at national level and to maintain contact with the care centre for any problem.Copyright © 2020