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Management of patients with atopic dermatitis undergoing systemic therapy during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: data from the DA-COVID-19 registry Running title: AD management during COVID-19 pandemic
  • +40
  • Andrea Chiricozzi,
  • Marina Talamonti,
  • Clara De Simone,
  • Marco Galluzzo,
  • Niccolò Gori,
  • Gabriella Fabbrocini,
  • Angelo Valerio Marzano,
  • Giampiero Girolomoni,
  • Annamaria Offidani,
  • Maria Teresa Rossi,
  • Luca Bianchi,
  • Antonio Cristaudo,
  • Maria Teresa Fierro,
  • Luca Stingeni,
  • Giovanni Pellacani,
  • Giuseppe Argenziano,
  • Annalisa Patrizi,
  • Paolo Pigatto,
  • Marco Romanelli,
  • Paola Savoia,
  • Pietro Rubegni,
  • Caterina Foti,
  • Nicola Milanesi,
  • Anna Belloni Fortina,
  • Maria Rita Bongiorno,
  • Teresa Grieco,
  • Sergio Di Nuzzo,
  • Maria Concetta Fargnoli,
  • Andrea Carugno,
  • Alberico Motolese,
  • Franco Rongioletti,
  • Paolo Amerio,
  • Riccardo Balestri,
  • Concetta Potenza,
  • Giuseppe Micali,
  • Cataldo Patruno,
  • Iris Zalaudek,
  • Maurizio Lombardo,
  • Claudio Feliciani,
  • Lucia Di Nardo,
  • Fabrizio Guarneri,
  • Ketty Peris,
  • Md ; Da-
Andrea Chiricozzi
Dermatologia, Dipartimento Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
Marina Talamonti
Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Tor Vergata University of Rome
Clara De Simone
Dermatologia, Dipartimento Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Marco Galluzzo
Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Tor Vergata University of Rome
Niccolò Gori
Dermatologia, Dipartimento Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Gabriella Fabbrocini
Section of Dermatology -Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples Federico II
Angelo Valerio Marzano
Dermatology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano
Giampiero Girolomoni
Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona
Annamaria Offidani
Dermatological Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region
Maria Teresa Rossi
Department of Dermatology, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia
Luca Bianchi
Dermatology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Tor Vergata University of Rome
Antonio Cristaudo
Clinical Dermatology, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute
Maria Teresa Fierro
Medical Sciences Department, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin
Luca Stingeni
Dermatology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia
Giovanni Pellacani
Department of Dermatology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Giuseppe Argenziano
Dermatology Unit, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli
Annalisa Patrizi
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Dermatology UOC, University of Bologna
Paolo Pigatto
Marco Romanelli
Paola Savoia
Pietro Rubegni
Caterina Foti
Nicola Milanesi
Anna Belloni Fortina
Maria Rita Bongiorno
Teresa Grieco
Sergio Di Nuzzo
Maria Concetta Fargnoli
Andrea Carugno
Alberico Motolese
Franco Rongioletti
Paolo Amerio
Riccardo Balestri
Concetta Potenza
Giuseppe Micali
Cataldo Patruno
Iris Zalaudek
Maurizio Lombardo
Claudio Feliciani
Lucia Di Nardo
Dermatologia, Dipartimento Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Fabrizio Guarneri
Ketty Peris
Dermatologia, Dipartimento Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Dermatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Md ; Da-

Abstract

Background: Few and small studies have described the management of immunomodulant/immunosuppressive therapies or phototherapy in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 
Methods: A national registry, named DA-COVID-19 and involving 35 Italian dermatology units, was established in order to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of adult AD patients treated with systemic immunomodulant/immunosuppressive medications or phototherapy. Demographic and clinical data were obtained at different timepoints by teledermatology during COVID-19 pandemic, when regular visits were not allowed due to sanitary restrictions. Disease severity was assessed by both physician- and patient-reported assessment scores evaluating itch intensity, sleep disturbances, and AD severity. 
Results: A total of 1831 patients were included, with 1580/1831 (86.3%) continuing therapy during pandemic. Most patients were treated with dupilumab (86.1%, 1576/1831) that was interrupted in only 9.9% (156/1576) of cases, while systemic immunosuppressive compounds were more frequently withdrawn. Treatment interruption was due to decision of the patient, general practitioner or dermatologist in 39.9% (114/286), 5.6% (16/286), and 30.1% (86/286) of cases, respectively. Fear of increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection (24.8%, 71/286) was one of the main causes of interruption. Sixteen patients (0.9%) resulted positive to SARS-CoV-2 infection, 3 of them (0.2%) were hospitalized but no cases of COVID-related death occurred. 
Conclusions: Most AD patients continued systemic treatments during COVID pandemicand lockdown period, without high impact on disease control, particularly dupilumab-treatedpatients.