The systemic sclerosis patient in the COVID-19 era: the challenging crossroad between immunosuppression, differential diagnosis and long-term psychological distress

Clinical Rheumatology
Martina OrlandiSilvia Bellando-Randone

Abstract

COVID-19 is a world health emergency which may inevitably affect the management of a complex autoimmune disease such as systemic sclerosis (SSc). Several SSc patients are frail and, in this pandemic, need a careful protection. The COVID-19 infection might complicate the clinical scenario of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in SSc because it determines a severe pneumonia characterized by radiological features similar to SSc-ILD. The striking CT similarities between the 2 diseases make it difficult to distinguish a worsening of SSc-ILD from COVID-19-ILD superinfection. Moreover, other aspects, like isolation during lock down, may cause a significant psychological stress which will pile up on the already difficult contact with the patients for a routine check-up. Moreover, the drug shortage is a real problem in these times. For these reasons, the rheumatologist in daily clinical practice should carefully differentiate the possible COVID-19 infection in order to optimize the patient management. Therefore, the challenge in everyday life will be to achieve in due time the differential diagnosis as well as the long-term psychological impact.Key Points• SSc patients should be encouraged to continue their chronic therapy; in case of immu...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 19, 2020·Autoimmunity Reviews·Carla VarricaSandra Simões
Apr 3, 2021·Clinical Medicine Insights. Circulatory, Respiratory and Pulmonary Medicine·Amelia SpinellaDilia Giuggioli
May 12, 2021·Clinics in Dermatology·Lyubomir DourmishevSnejina Vassileva
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Dec 12, 2021·Rheumatology·Percival Degrava Sampaio-BarrosEloisa Bonfá

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