Clinical characteristics, laboratory results, treatment and outcome of patients with SLE infected with SARS-CoV-2
| Patients (N=17) | |
| Signs and symptoms at baseline | |
| Fever | 17 (100) |
| Cough | 14 (82) |
| Sputum | 4 (24) |
| Shortness of breath | 14 (82) |
| Respiratory rate >24 breaths per minute | 9 (53) |
| Pulse >125 beats per minute | 3 (18) |
| Myalgia | 8 (47) |
| Confusion | 1 (6) |
| Headache | 10 (59) |
| Sore throat | 6 (35) |
| Rhinorrhoea | 4 (24) |
| Dysgeusia | 5 (29) |
| Anosmia | 5 (29) |
| Chest pain | 4 (24) |
| Diarrhoea | 7 (41) |
| Nausea and/or vomiting | 3 (18) |
| Fever + cough + shortness of breath | 13 (76) |
| Time from illness onset to fever, days | 0 (0–12) |
| Time from illness onset to cough, days | 2.5 (0–12) |
| Time from illness onset to dyspnoea, days | 4 (0–14) |
| Time from illness onset to ARDS, days | 8 (3–13) |
| Final diagnosis and comorbid conditions | |
| Upper respiratory tract infection | 9 (53) |
| Pneumonia | 13 (76) |
| Respiratory failure | 11 (65) |
| ARDS | 5 (29) |
| Acute cardiac injury* | 1 (6) |
| Acute renal injury | 3 (18) |
| Septic shock | 2 (12) |
| Ventilator-associated pneumonia | 0 (0) |
| Other secondary infection | 1 (6) |
| Venous thrombosis | 1 (6) |
| Chest CT finding: extension of GGO and/or consolidation† | |
| <10% | 1/10 (10) |
| 10%–25% | 3/10 (30) |
| 25%–50% | 3/10 (30) |
| >50% | 3/10 (30) |
| Treatment | |
| Hydroxychloroquine | |
| Maintenance | 17 (100) |
| 200 mg/day | 5 (29) |
| 400 mg/day | 9 (53) |
| >400 mg/day | 3 (18) |
| Whole-blood HCQ concentrations, ng/mL, median (range)‡ | 648 (254–2095) |
| Prednisone | |
| Maintenance | 12/12§ (100) |
| Increase or start of prednisone | 0 (0) |
| Immunosuppressant | |
| Withdrawal or decrease of usual immunosuppressant | 6/7§ (86) |
| Introduction of tocilizumab | 1 (6) |
| Antiviral therapy | 0 (0) |
| Antibiotic therapy¶ | 9 (53) |
| Oxygen therapy | 11 (65) |
| Nasal cannula | 5/11 (45) |
| Non-invasive ventilation or high-flow nasal cannula | 1/11 (9) |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation | 5/11 (45) |
| ECMO | 1 (6) |
| Prognosis | |
| Admission to hospital | 14 (82) |
| Admission to intensive care unit | 7 (41) |
| Clinical outcome | |
| Discharged | 5/14** (36) |
| Remained in hospital | 7/14** (50) |
| Died | 2/14** (14) |
Values are expressed as n (%), unless stated otherwise.
*Defined as new abnormalities shown on echocardiography.
†Ten patients were assessed.
‡Eight patients were assessed at admission or during the hospitalisation.
§Number of patients under this treatment regimen.
¶Including azithromycin for two patients and spiramycin for two other patients.
**Number of patients hospitalised.
ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; GGO, ground-glass opacities; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus.