Abstract
Introduction: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined as recurrent attacks of urticaria present for more than six weeks. The monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E antibody, omalizumab, was approved for the treatment of CSU in patients who remain refractory to H1-antihistamines. Biologic agents are shown not to increase the risk of COVID-19 infection in different studies.
Objective: In the present study, we aimed to determine the prevalance of COVID-19 infection in relation to the age, gender, presence of other comorbidities, and treatment given for CSU.
Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of 233 patients diagnosed with CSU in a tertiary referral hospital. Demographical data, treatment given for CSU, the presence of COVID-19-related symptoms, history of close contact to a person with COVID-19 and COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results were determined via a telephone survey and checked from medical data records.
Results: One hundred sixty patients were female; whereas 73 were male. The mean age was 44.76. Out of 233 patients with chronic urticaria, 125 had symptoms related to COVID-19 infection. RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 was performed in 156 patients. Of 156 patients with COVID-19 RT-PCR test, RT-PCR result was positive in 15 cases.
Conclusions: No statistically significant relationship was found between COVID-19 RT-PCR positivity and the type of treatment administered for chronic urticaria when the patients are divided into omalizumab ± oral antihistamines and only oral antihistamines treatment groups (p = 0.150). Omalizumab seems to be safe in the era of COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; chronic urticaria; omalizumab.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, chronic urticaria, omalizumab., 【초록키워드】 Treatment, antibody, cross-sectional, Infection, Comorbidities, Gender, Symptom, RT-PCR, COVID-19 infection, male, Patient, age, patients, monoclonal, RT-PCR test, close contact, Safe, chronic, omalizumab, RT-PCR testing, treatment group, positive, COVID-19-related symptoms, attack, Administered, risk of COVID-19, tertiary referral hospital, polymerase chain, defined, shown, the patient, diagnosed, approved, conducted, was performed, determine, statistically significant, checked, patients with COVID-19, with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 cross-sectional, Patient, treated,