COVID-۱۹ Screening in Rheumatologic Diseases Cases; Special Look at Chloroquine Derivate Use

Background: Among suggested medications for the treatment of COVID-۱۹, chloroquine derivates and angiotensin-converting–enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin II type ۱ receptor blockers (ARBs) are the two medications with conflicting effects on the development of the disease.Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate COVID-۱۹ in patients with rheumatic diseases receiving chloroquine derivate.Methods: Every patient with proven rheumatologic diseases registered in two referral centers in Tehran and Alborz, Iran was enrolled in the present descriptive cross-sectional study between May and June ۲۰۲۰. At first, the symptoms of COVID-۱۹ were assessed, and if a case had suspicious symptoms, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) COVID-۱۹ tests were done. Demographic and clinical data are documented for every patient. Then, the patients were grouped once according to their COVID-۱۹ infection status and another time according to their hydroxychloroquine use.Results: ۱۱۵۹ patients enrolled in the study with a mean age of ۴۹.۳۹ years. Frequency of hypertension was ۲۲.۱۷ %, diabetics (۹.۴۹%) and ۲۰ (۱.۷%) patients were positive for COVID-۱۹ testing. The most common symptoms of the COVID-۱۹ positive cases were cough (۵.۲%) and fever (۴%). There was no significant difference in receiving ACEIs/ARBs or other medications between COVID-۱۹ positive or negative patients. Among the patients receiving hydroxychloroquine, ۱۵ patients (۱.۷%) had proved COVID-۱۹ versus ۵ patients (۱.۷%) who were not receiving these medications (P>۰.۹۹۹).Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that receiving ARBs or ACEIs was not different among patients with or without COVID-۱۹. Moreover, receiving chloroquine derivate was not related to the development of COVID-۱۹ in patients with rheumatologic disorders.

Keywords:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors , Angiotensin II Type ۱ Receptor Blockers , chloroquine , hydroxychloroquine , COVID-۱۹