Incidence of Rheumatic Diseases Following COVID-19; a Case Series

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about its potential long-term effects on various health dimensions, particularly autoimmune and autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases. Recent observations suggest a possible link between COVID-19 infection and the subsequent development of these conditions. This case series aims to describe the clinical features, treatment responses, and outcomes of patients with autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases following COVID-19 infection. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 11 patients who developed new autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases after confirmed COVID-19 infection. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations of covid-19, hospitalization or outpatient treatment of covid-19, clinical manifestations of rheumatic disease, laboratory findings, treatment strategies, and follow-up outcomes. Results: A group including five patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), one patient with dermatomyositis, one patient with reactive arthritis, one patient with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), one with ankylosing spondylitis, and one case with immune Raynaud's phenomenon were investigated. Most patients showed high inflammatory responses and responded positively to corticosteroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).