SARS-CoV-2 infection among psoriasis patients in Germany

TY - JOUR

T1 - SARS-CoV-2 infection among psoriasis patients in Germany

T2 - Data from the German registries PsoBest and CoronaBest

AU - López, María José Valencia

AU - Meineke, Anna

AU - Stephan, Brigitte

AU - Rustenbach, Stephan Jeff

AU - Kis, Anne

AU - Thaçi, Diamant

AU - Mrowietz, Ulrich

AU - Reich, Kristian

AU - Staubach-Renz, Petra

AU - von Kiedrowski, Ralph

AU - Bogena, Henriette

AU - Augustin, Matthias

N1 - © 2024 The Authors. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft.

PY - 2024/7

Y1 - 2024/7

N2 - BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections in German patients with psoriasis or psoriasis arthritis (PsA). This study analyses COVID-19 prevalence and severity of symptoms in these patients.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants of the German registries PsoBest and CoronaBest were surveyed in February 2022. Descriptive analyses were conducted.RESULTS: 4,818 patients were included in the analysis, mean age of 56.4 years. Positive SARS-CoV-2 tests were reported by 737 (15.3%) patients. The most frequently reported acute symptoms were fatigue (67.3%), cough (58.8%), and headache (58.3%). Longer-lasting symptoms after COVID-19 were reported by 231 of 737 patients after the acute phase. For most patients (92.9%), systemic treatment for their psoriasis or PsA was not modified during the pandemic. Patients positively tested for SARS-CoV-2 were younger on average and had more often changes in the therapy of psoriasis than negatively tested patients (8.5% vs. 5.4%).CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of patients with psoriasis or PsA undergoing systemic treatment, SARS-CoV-2 infections were common but less frequent than in the general German population. No risk signals for more severe COVID-19 or increased infection rates were observed in the patients. In addition, systemic treatments remained largely unchanged, so that no risks can be attributed to these therapies.

AB - BACKGROUND: Limited data exist on the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections in German patients with psoriasis or psoriasis arthritis (PsA). This study analyses COVID-19 prevalence and severity of symptoms in these patients.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants of the German registries PsoBest and CoronaBest were surveyed in February 2022. Descriptive analyses were conducted.RESULTS: 4,818 patients were included in the analysis, mean age of 56.4 years. Positive SARS-CoV-2 tests were reported by 737 (15.3%) patients. The most frequently reported acute symptoms were fatigue (67.3%), cough (58.8%), and headache (58.3%). Longer-lasting symptoms after COVID-19 were reported by 231 of 737 patients after the acute phase. For most patients (92.9%), systemic treatment for their psoriasis or PsA was not modified during the pandemic. Patients positively tested for SARS-CoV-2 were younger on average and had more often changes in the therapy of psoriasis than negatively tested patients (8.5% vs. 5.4%).CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of patients with psoriasis or PsA undergoing systemic treatment, SARS-CoV-2 infections were common but less frequent than in the general German population. No risk signals for more severe COVID-19 or increased infection rates were observed in the patients. In addition, systemic treatments remained largely unchanged, so that no risks can be attributed to these therapies.

U2 - 10.1111/ddg.15433

DO - 10.1111/ddg.15433

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 38778439

VL - 22

SP - 965

EP - 972

JO - J DTSCH DERMATOL GES

JF - J DTSCH DERMATOL GES

SN - 1610-0379

IS - 7

M1 - 22

ER -