AB1092 INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIDES IN POST-COVID-19 PATIENTS: AN ALBANIAN EXPERIENCE.

Abstract

BackgroundCOVID-19 is a disease caused by the new pathogen SARS-CoV2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) typically presenting with pneumonia but also other systemic manifestation has been reported worldwide [1]. Different reports have described the appearance of inflammatory arthritis (IA) after resolution of acute infection from COVID-19 [2].ObjectivesTo observe the frequency of Inflammatory Arthritis in an Albanian cohort of post-COVID-19 patients.MethodsPost-Covid-19 patients, having two consecutive negative PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction), discharged from the Pulmonology Department (January – July 2021) were invited to enter in a 6 (six) month multidisciplinary observational study. Data regarding post-COVID-19 inflammatory arthritis are presented in this study. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to express data.ResultsFrom 154 post-COVID-19 patients (F/M = 62/92) enrolled, 14 (9.09%) patients didn’t follow regularly the dedicated ambulatory thus were excluded from this study. Considering the remaining 140 patients (F/M = 58/82), only 21 (15%) patients were diagnosed with IA where the most common were, respectively: Reactive Arthritis (ReA) 11 (52.3%) patients; Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) 4 (19.09%) patients; Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) 3 (14.2%) patients; Gout Arthritis (GA) 3 (14.2%) patients. All rheumatic conditions were more frequent in male than in female post-COVID-19 patients. Data summarized in Table 1. All patients that developed a post COVID-19 IA, had fever during the period of SARS-CoV2 infection. Arthralgia was a typical symptom that have been reported by patients that have developed RA and AS. All RA post-Covid-19 patients reported having had even symptoms like cough, dispnea and fatigue. None of the AS patients neither GA reported symptoms of dysguesia or anosmia. Only 9% of ReA patients reported having had abdominal pain during acute infection with SARS-Cov2. Data summarized in Figure 1.Table 1.Inflammatory ArthritisPatients (N, %)Age (mean ± SD)Male (N, %)Days after COVID-19 (mean ± SD)ReA11 (52.3)48.2 ± 12.57 (63.6)15.8 ± 9.9RA4 (19,09)55.7 ± 8.72 (50)32.3 ± 11.3AS3 (14.2)50.5 ± 9.72 (14.2)18.8 ± 5.5GA3 (14.2)55.3 ± 1.23 (100)10.6 ± 0.9ConclusionIA is another manifestation that follows acute infection from COVID-19. In this regard increased awareness and further investigations are needed in order to better understand weather SARS-Cov2 infection can accelerate the development of a rheumatic autoimmune disease.References[1]Mahajan RK, Paul G, Mahajan R, Gautam PL, Paul B. Systemic manifestations of COVID-19. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2020; 36 (4):435-442.[2]Zacharias H, Dubey S, Koduri G, D’Cruz D. Rheumatological complications of Covid 19. Autoimmun Rev. 2021; 20 (9):102883.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared