| Contributors: |
Ferri, C; Giuggioli, D; Raimondo, V; Dagna, L; Riccieri, V; Zanatta, E; Guiducci, S; Tavoni, A; Foti, R; Cuomo, G; De Angelis, R; Cozzi, F; Murdaca, G; Cavazzana, I; Romeo, N; Codullo, V; Ingegnoli, F; Pellegrini, R; Varcasia, G; Della Rossa, A; De Santis, M; Abignano, G; Colaci, M; Caminiti, M; L’Andolina, M; Lubrano, E; Spinella, A; Lumetti, F; De Luca, G; Bellando Randone, S; Visalli, E; Bilia, S; Masini, F; Pellegrino, G; Pigatto, E; Generali, E; Franceschini, F; Pagano Mariano, G; Barsotti, S; Pettiti, G; Zanframundo, G; Brittelli, R; Aiello, V; Scorpiniti, D; Ferrari, T; Caminiti, R; Campochiaro, C; Gigliotti, P; Cecchetti, R; Olivo, D; Ursini, F; Brusi, V; Meliconi, R; Caso, F; Scarpa, R; D’Angelo, S; Iannone, F; Matucci-Cerinic, M; Doria, A; Miccoli, M; Paparo, Sr; Ragusa, F; Elia, G; Ferrari, Sm; Fallahi, P; Antonelli, A |
| Description: |
Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection poses a serious challenge for patients with rheumatic autoimmune systemic diseases (ASD), characterized by marked immune-system dysregulation and frequent visceral organ involvement. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic in a large series of Italian patients with ASD. Methods: Our multicenter telephone survey (8-week period, March-April 2020) included a large series of 2,994 patients (584 M, 2,410 F, mean age 58.9±13.4SD years) with ASD followed at 34 tertiary referral centers of 14 regions of northern, central, and southern Italian macro areas, characterized by different prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. According to currently used criteria, Covid-19 was classified as definite Covid-19 (signs or symptoms of Covid-19 confirmed by positive oral/nasopharyngeal swabs at PCR testing) or highly suspected Covid-19 (signs or symptoms highly . |