COVID-19 symptoms are attenuated in atopic dermatitis patients treated
with dupilumab Short running title: Reduced COVID-19 symptoms in
dupilumab-treated AD
Abstract
Background: In the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic, we need to
understand the impact of immunomodulatory medications on COVID-19
symptom severity in patients with inflammatory diseases, including the
Type 2/Th2 polarized skin disease, atopic dermatitis/AD. Since it is
believed that Type 1/Th1immunity controls viral infections, and that
there is a Th1/Th2 counter-regulation, we hypothesized that Th2
targeting with the IL-4Rα-antagonist, dupilumab, in patients with
moderate-to-severe AD rebalances Th1/Th2 axis, potentially leading to
attenuated COVID-19 symptoms. Methods: 1,237 moderate-to-severe
AD patients in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Department of
Dermatology were enrolled in a registry. Patients were screened for
COVID-19-related symptoms and assigned a severity score
(asymptomatic[0]-fatal[5]). Scores were compared among 3
treatment groups: dupilumab (n=632), other systemic treatments (n=107),
and limited/no treatment (n=498). Demographic and comorbid covariates
were adjusted by multivariate logistic regression models.
Results: The dupilumab-treated group showed reduced incidence
and severity of COVID-19 symptoms versus other treatment groups.
Dupilumab-treated patients were less likely to experience
moderate-to-severe symptoms versus patients on other systemics (p=0.01)
and on limited/no treatment (p=0.04), and less likely to experience any
symptoms versus patients on other systemics (p=0.01). This effect was
seen in our entire cohort and in the subgroup of patients with verified
COVID-19 or high-risk exposure. Conclusions: Patients on
dupilumab experienced less severe COVID-19 manifestations and lesser
symptoms compared to patients on other systemics and on limited/no
treatment. These results suggest that Th2 modulation with dupilumab may
have a protective effect on anti-viral immune response in AD patients.