Secondary organising pneumonia associated to COVID-19 infection in patients with central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases treated with anti-CD20 therapies

René Carvajal, Breogán Rodríguez-Acevedo, Lorena García-Vasco, Ana Zabalza, Helena Ariño, Luca Bollo, Noemí Cabello-Clotet, Joaquín Castilló, Álvaro Cobo-Calvo, Manuel Comabella, Anna Falcó-Roget, Ingrid Galán, Alexis García-Sarreón, Irene Gómez-Estévez, Galo Granados, Delon La Puma, Gloria Mato Chain, Luciana Midaglia, Asunción Nieto-García, Susana Otero-RomeroAgustín Pappolla, Marta Rodriguez, Irene Sansano, Jordi Río, Paula Tagliani, Carmen Tur, Ángela Vidal-Jordana, Andreu Vilaseca, Ana Villar, Jaume Sastre-Garriga, Celia Oreja-Guevara, Mar Tintoré, Xavier Montalban, Georgina Arrambide

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Organizing pneumonia (OP), an interstitial lung disease, has been observed in patients with inflammatory demyelinating diseases (IDDs) treated with anti-CD20, particularly after COVID-19, but data are limited.

AIM: To provide a detailed characterization of COVID-19-associated OP in IDD patients treated with anti-CD20.

METHODS: Bi-centric retrospective cohort study including patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), aquaporin-4-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4 + NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) who received anti-CD20 and were diagnosed with COVID-19-associated OP between March 2020 and October 2023.

RESULTS: Nineteen patients were included (mean age 46.8 years; 52.6% female; 63% rituximab, 37% ocrelizumab). Sixteen had MS, two MOGAD, and one AQP4 + NMOSD. Intermittent fever was the predominant symptom. Hospitalization occurred in all but one patient, without fatalities. Chest CT consistently showed OP patterns. Thirteen patients had positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage. Treatments included corticosteroids, antivirals, monoclonal antibodies, and convalescent plasma. Fourteen patients postponed infusions; nine resumed post-recovery (median 11.9 months), two switched due to hypogammaglobulinemia, and three stopped. After a mean follow-up of 1.5 years, lung abnormalities and clinical manifestations resolved in 18 patients; however, 13 experienced long-COVID.

CONCLUSIONS: In anti-CD20-treated patients with recurrent fever and distinctive CT features, COVID-19-associated OP should be considered.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1788-1801
Number of pages14
JournalMultiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
Volume30
Issue number14
Early online date9 Nov 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2024

Keywords

  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Neuromyelitis optica (NMO)

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