| Contributors: |
Ferri, C.; Raimondo, V.; Giuggioli, D.; Gragnani, L.; Lorini, S.; Dagna, L.; Bosello, S. L.; Foti, R.; Riccieri, V.; Guiducci, S.; Cuomo, G.; Tavoni, A.; De Angelis, R.; Cacciapaglia, F.; Zanatta, E.; Cozzi, F.; Murdaca, G.; Cavazzana, I.; Romeo, N.; Codullo, V.; Pellegrini, R.; Varcasia, G.; De Santis, M.; Selmi, C.; Abignano, G.; Caminiti, M.; L'Andolina, M.; Olivo, D.; Lubrano, E.; Spinella, A.; Lumetti, F.; De Luca, G.; Ruscitti, P.; Urraro, T.; Visentini, M.; Bellando-Randone, S.; Visalli, E.; Testa, D.; Sciascia, G.; Masini, F.; Pellegrino, G.; Saccon, F.; Balestri, E.; Elia, G.; Ferrari, S. M.; Tonutti, A.; Dall'Ara, F.; Pagano Mariano, G.; Pettiti, G.; Zanframundo, G.; Brittelli, R.; Aiello, V.; Dal Bosco, Y.; Di Cola, I.; Scorpiniti, D.; Fusaro, E.; Ferrari, T.; Gigliotti, P.; Campochiaro, C.; Francioso, F.; Iandoli, C.; Caira, V.; Zignego, A. L.; D'Angelo, S.; Franceschini, F.; Matucci-Cerinic, M.; Giacomelli, R.; Doria, A.; Santini, S. A.; Fallahi, P.; Iannone, F.; Antonelli, A. |
| Description: |
Introduction: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic represents a serious challenge for 'frail' patients' populations with inflammatory autoimmune systemic diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated the prevalence and severity of COVID-19, as well the effects of COVID-19 vaccination campaign in a large series of SSc patients followed for the entire period (first 38 months) of pandemic.Patients and method: This prospective survey study included 1755 unselected SSc patients (186 M, 1,569F; mean age 58.7 +/- 13.4SD years, mean disease duration 8.8 +/- 7.3SD years) recruited in part by telephone survey at 37 referral centers from February 2020 to April 2023. The following parameters were carefully evaluated: i. demographic, clinical, serological, and therapeutical features; ii. prevalence and severity of COVID-19; and iii. safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.Results: The prevalence of COVID-19 recorded during the whole pandemic was significantly higher compared to Italian general population (47.3 % vs 43.3 %, p < 0.000), as well the COVID-19-related mortality (1.91 % vs 0.72 %, p < 0.001). As regards the putative prognostic factors of worse outcome, COVID-19 positive patients with SSc-related interstitial lung involvement showed significantly higher percentage of COVID-19-related hospitalization compared to those without (5.85 % vs 1.73 %; p < 0.0001), as well as of mortality rate (2.01 % vs 0.4 %; p = 0.002). Over half of patients (56.3 %) received the first two plus one booster dose of vaccine; while a fourth dose was administered to 35.6 %, and only few of them (1.99 %) had five or more doses of vaccine. Of note, an impaired seroconversion was recorded in 25.6 % of individuals after the first 2 doses of vaccine, and in 8.4 % of patients also after the booster dose. Furthermore, the absence of T-cell immunoreactivity was observed in 3/7 patients tested by QuantiFERON (R) SARSCoV-2 Starter Set (Qiagen). The efficacy of vaccines, evaluated by comparing the COVID-19-related ... |