Vounotrypidis Periklis
Rheumatology Department, 424 General Military Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Mediterr J Rheumatol. 2020 Sep 21;31(Suppl 2):275-283. doi: 10.31138/mjr.31.3.275. eCollection 2020 Sep.
The magnitude of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic found health systems unprepared, not allowing for prompt evaluation, collaboration among specialities and treatment of severely ill patients admitted to intensive care units, with many of them having an unfortunate outcome. Current data demonstrate an acute immune dysregulation in severe forms of the disease. The above is concluded by clinical evolution and laboratory findings, indicating a severe inflammatory response of the innate immune system, initiating predominately with the involvement of the respiratory tract epithelial cells, occasionally progressing to thrombotic diathesis and related complications. Besides the clinical manifestations, the immune response expresses an extremely high acute phase reactants repertoire including hyperferritinemia, hyper-fibrinogenaemia, and a storm of cytokines that require an alternative view and collaboration with rheumatologists. Thrombotic diathesis in some cases may not attribute only to a possible disseminated intravascular coagulation, but also to an additional activation of adaptive immunity and the development of the antiphospholipid syndrome. Unifying speciality evaluation and treatment may improve patient outcomes by recognizing early the evolving syndromes, treating properly, in a stratifying manner, with medications that alleviate the inflammatory reaction. Corticosteroids, colchicine, hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, and possibly potent immunosuppressants are in the armamentarium. Additionally, biologics that interrupt the innate immune dysfunction, such as IL-1, IL-6 and selective JAK inhibitors, are also used. Convalescent plasma therapy and human immunoglobulin may be restricted for those whom the proposed treatments are found inadequate. The above combined with antiretroviral medications may improve the outcome until the development of safe and effective vaccination.
新型冠状病毒肺炎大流行的规模表明,卫生系统准备不足,无法对入住重症监护病房的重症患者进行及时评估、多专科协作及治疗,许多患者预后不佳。目前的数据表明,该疾病的严重形式存在急性免疫失调。上述结论是根据临床进展和实验室检查结果得出的,表明先天性免疫系统存在严重炎症反应,主要始于呼吸道上皮细胞的参与,偶尔会发展为血栓形成倾向及相关并发症。除临床表现外,免疫反应表现出极高的急性期反应物谱,包括高铁蛋白血症、高纤维蛋白原血症以及细胞因子风暴,这需要另一种观点并与风湿病学家合作。在某些情况下,血栓形成倾向可能不仅归因于可能的弥散性血管内凝血,还归因于适应性免疫的额外激活和抗磷脂综合征的发展。统一专科评估和治疗,通过早期识别不断演变的综合征,采用分层方式合理使用减轻炎症反应的药物进行治疗,可能会改善患者的预后。皮质类固醇、秋水仙碱、羟氯喹/氯喹,以及可能的强效免疫抑制剂都在治疗手段之列。此外,还使用了能阻断先天性免疫功能障碍的生物制剂,如白细胞介素-1、白细胞介素-6和选择性JAK抑制剂。对于那些发现拟用治疗方法不足的患者,可能会限制使用康复期血浆疗法和人免疫球蛋白。上述治疗方法与抗逆转录病毒药物联合使用,在安全有效的疫苗研发出来之前,可能会改善预后。