Simón Ángel Sánchez-Fernández, PhD: SARS-CoV-2 infection in rheumatic disease patients receiving biological therapies


Poster presenter: Simón Ángel Sánchez-Fernández, PhD, Hospital La Mancha Centro

Poster title: Evaluation of the Possible Different Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Infection with Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors or with Rituximab in Rheumatic Patients

Poster Session D
8:30 – 10:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, Nov. 9
All ACR Convergence 2021 poster presentations are available on demand to registered meeting participants through March 11, 2022.

What is your poster about?
We evaluated the course and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with rheumatic diseases receiving biological therapies. We observed that the infection was better and less severe with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and worse and more severe with rituximab (higher percentage of pneumonia development, hospital admission, and greater severity), with no development of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody.

Why did you decide to investigate this topic? 
We wanted to demonstrate the belief we had in clinical practice that different biological therapies influence the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 infection differently.

What are you working on next related to this research?
We are evaluating the response to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in our rheumatic patients, given the possible different response that they may have when different biological therapies are received.

What excites you most about your work?
Considering the persistent severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, these results may influence the decision to initiate one biological therapy or another in rheumatic patients.