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COVID-19 symptoms are attenuated in atopic dermatitis patients treated with dupilumab Short running title: Reduced COVID-19 symptoms in dupilumab-treated AD
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  • Benjamin Ungar,
  • Jacob W. Glickman,
  • Alexandra Golant,
  • Celina Dubin,
  • Olga Marushchak,
  • Alyssa Gontzes,
  • Daniela Mikhaylov,
  • Giselle Singer,
  • Danielle Baum,
  • Nancy Wei,
  • Diana Gruenstein,
  • Mark Lebwohl,
  • Ana Brandusa Pavel,
  • Emma Guttman-Yassky
Benjamin Ungar
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Jacob W. Glickman
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Alexandra Golant
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Celina Dubin
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Olga Marushchak
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Alyssa Gontzes
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Daniela Mikhaylov
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Giselle Singer
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Danielle Baum
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Nancy Wei
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Diana Gruenstein
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Mark Lebwohl
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Ana Brandusa Pavel
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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Emma Guttman-Yassky
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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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.