Worse impact of second wave COVID-19 pandemic in adults but not in children with inflammatory bowel disease: an Italian single tertiary center experience

S. Carparelli, M.R. Pastore, M.R. Valvano, A. Marseglia, A. Latiano, O. Palmieri, M. Guerra, G. Martino, F. Perri, F. Bossa

Divisions of Gastroenterology and Pediatrics, “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” Hospital, IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy. s.carparelli@operapadrepio.it

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: From September 2020, a second wave of COVID-19 pandemic started. We aimed at exploring the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in IBD patients during the two waves.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: All IBD patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection were enrolled. They were sorted into two groups (those infected before September 2020, and those from September 2020 to January 2021) and compared by demographic and clinical data.

RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (out of about 600 with a follow-up visit) were infected with SARS-CoV-2 (4.1%). Sixteen were male and the mean age was 46.5 ± 14.3 years (range 24-74). Six were smokers and 11 had comorbidities; 2 were on steroids and 17 on immunosuppressants or biologics. Three patients (12%) needed hospitalization and other three patients were treated with azithromycin, steroids and LMWH, all of them during the second wave. No patient died or developed any sequelae. Two subjects were infected during the first wave (0.3 vs. 3.83, p<0.0001). Non-significant differences were found between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS: A higher number of IBD patients were infected during the second wave. No patient developed a severe form of pneumonia, even those treated with immunosuppressants or biologics. No risk factor for hospitalization was found.

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