Bianchi Francesco Paolo, Contaldo Antonella, Polignano Maurizio Gaetano, Pisani Antonio
Health Prevention Department, Local Health Authority of Brindisi, 72100 Brindisi, Italy.
National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS S. De Bellis, Research Hospital, 70013 Castellana Grotte, Italy.
Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Aug 2;12(8):881. doi: 10.3390/vaccines12080881.
The etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is not fully understood but is believed to involve a dysregulated immune response to intestinal microbiota in genetically susceptible individuals. Individuals with IBD are at increased risk of infections due to immunosuppressive treatments, comorbidities, and advanced age. Current evidence indicates that IBD patients are not at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to the general population, though the risk of severe outcomes remains debated. A retrospective observational study was conducted using Apulian regional health data from 2020 to 2022. This study included 1029 IBD patients and 3075 controls, matched by age and sex. COVID-19 incidence, hospitalization, and case fatality rates were analyzed alongside vaccination coverage. No significant differences in COVID-19 incidence (IRR = 0.97), hospitalization ( = 0.218), or lethality ( = 0.271) were evidenced between IBD patients and the general population. Vaccination rates were high in both groups, with slightly higher uptake in IBD patients. Multivariate analysis identified age and male sex as risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes, while vaccination significantly reduced hospitalization and lethality risks. IBD patients in Apulia do not have an increased risk of COVID-19 infection or severe outcomes compared to the general population. Vaccination is crucial in protecting IBD patients, and ongoing efforts to promote vaccination within this population are essential. Future research should focus on the impact of specific IBD treatments on COVID-19 outcomes and the long-term effectiveness of vaccines.
炎症性肠病（IBD）的病因尚未完全明确，但一般认为在基因易感个体中，其涉及对肠道微生物群的免疫反应失调。由于免疫抑制治疗、合并症和高龄等因素，IBD患者发生感染的风险增加。目前的证据表明，与普通人群相比，IBD患者感染严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的风险并未升高，不过严重后果的风险仍存在争议。利用2020年至2022年阿普利亚地区的卫生数据进行了一项回顾性观察研究。该研究纳入了1029例IBD患者和3075例对照，根据年龄和性别进行匹配。分析了新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）的发病率、住院率和病死率以及疫苗接种覆盖率。IBD患者和普通人群之间在COVID-19发病率（发病率比=0.97）、住院率（=0.218）或死亡率（=0.271）方面未发现显著差异。两组的疫苗接种率都很高，IBD患者的接种率略高。多变量分析确定年龄和男性性别为发生严重COVID-19后果的风险因素，而接种疫苗显著降低了住院和死亡风险。与普通人群相比，阿普利亚地区的IBD患者感染COVID-19或出现严重后果的风险并未增加。接种疫苗对于保护IBD患者至关重要，在此人群中持续推动疫苗接种的努力必不可少。未来的研究应聚焦于特定IBD治疗对COVID-19后果的影响以及疫苗的长期有效性。
