Immuno Suppressing Drugs May Not Raise Risk for COVID-19

Psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis patients are not at increased risk for contracting COVID-19 and should continue taking their medicine as prescribed, according to Henry Ford Health System dermatology researchers who published their study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. "If you require an immune suppressant medication for your condition to be well controlled, you should not be afraid to continue that medication during the pandemic," Dr. Veenstra says.

The study is one of the first to assess the relation between immunosuppressive medications for skin diseases and the risk of COVID-19 infection and outcomes. Dr. Veenstra and his research colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 213 patients who were taking immunosuppressive medication for an immune-mediated inflammatory disease.

Key findings from their analysis:

1.Of the 213 patients, 36% tested COVID-19 positive and had no greater odds of being hospitalized or placed on a ventilator than the general population.

2.There was no evidence that any single immunosuppressive medication increased a patient's odds for testing positive or developing serious disease.

3.Race was a predictor for COVID-19 status, with African Americans having greater odds of testing positive.

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4.Patients prescribed a TNF alpha inhibitor had significantly lower odds for hospitalization. TNF alpha inhibitors are part of a class of immunosuppressive biologics used to stop inflammation.

Multiple medications may suppress a patient's immune system, thus rendering them more susceptible to COVID-19. Till now, this patient population has not been reported to be at higher risk for COVID-19. Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions like cancer, COPD and diabetes are considered high risk for contracting the coronavirus.

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"Physicians who prescribe these medications should feel comfortable either continuing or resuming their patients on these medications," Dr. Veenstra says. "They can counsel their patients that there's data to support the safety profile of these medications during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Henry Ford dermatologists treat one of the largest patient populations in Michigan for inflammatory skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema and lupus, prompting researchers to examine whether the immunosuppressive medications made patients more susceptible to the new, emerging coronavirus.

"Traditionally, you think of these medications putting you at higher risk for infection," Dr. Veenstra says. "With COVID, this is a new type of pathogen, and no one really knows how these medications affect your immune system's ability to deal with the infection. The question is, do these medications put you at greater risk for contracting COVID, and if you did get it, would you be sicker because of these medicaitons."



Source-Eurekalert