Abstract
A 39-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab was admitted to our hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia. Despite receiving dexamethasone, she developed hypoxaemia and persistent lung opacities. As bronchoalveolar lavage was suggestive of cryptogenic organising pneumonia, high-dose corticosteroid was administered, and she received antimicrobial therapy for opportunistic infections without improvement. Reverse transcription PCR was repeatedly positive for SARS-CoV-2, and virus replication was confirmed in cell cultures. As no anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were detected more than 100 days after symptom onset, she was treated with convalescent plasma with fast clinical improvement, returning home days later. Our case shows that persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in an immunocompromised patient may be overturned with the appropriate treatment.
Keywords: COVID-19; biological agents; respiratory system; systemic lupus erythematosus.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, systemic lupus erythematosus, Respiratory system, Biological agents, 【초록키워드】 Corticosteroid, Dexamethasone, Treatment, convalescent plasma, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pneumonia, Pneumonia, SARS-COV-2 infection, hospital, monoclonal antibody, Transcription, systemic lupus erythematosus, rituximab, Immunocompromised patient, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, PCR, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Immunocompromised, Clinical improvement, hypoxaemia, virus replication, Antimicrobial therapy, Respiratory system, reverse transcription PCR, anti-CD20, opportunistic Infections, Bronchoalveolar lavage, lupus erythematosus, opportunistic infection, symptom onset, High-dose, positive, cell cultures, lung opacities, Administered, receiving, treated, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 Convalescent plasma therapy,