Implications of COVID-19 for the management of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases

Principles for Managing Patients with Spinal Ailments in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era: What Do We Know So Far? An Evidence-Based, Narrative Review

“…The causative organism was identified as a novel coronavirus on January 9, 2020. The virus was officially designated as World Health Organization (WHO) SARS-CoV-2 on February 11, 2020, and the disease was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 [6]. Although all major disasters in the history of the world have led to heavy losses on multiple fronts, they have also paved way for extra-ordinary breakthroughs, especially in the field of medicine.…”

Managing patients with rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: The French Society of Rheumatology answers to most frequently asked questions up to May 2020

“…The global pandemic of COVID-19 has suddenly changed our medical practice regardless of our specialty. In particular, rheumatologists must contend with this viral infection in the management of their patients and many questions have been raised on the use of both anti-inflammatory drugs and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) [1]. On one hand, anti-inflammatory drugs and DMARD are necessary for keeping inflammatory chronic diseases or painful and crippling degenerative diseases under control and, on the other hand, are of concern for increasing the risk of COVID-19 among patients with rheumatic diseases.…”

Management of Patients With Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Telemedicine and Rheumatologists Challenged in the Era of COVID-19

“…The usage of subcutaneous administration could be suggested when the same mechanism of the drug is available, with a limited risk for the patients mainly in terms of possible loss of efficacy. Human contact in the care of patients and face-to-face questioning and physical examination are important for a careful analysis of the clinical situation, perhaps for acceptance of care and for ensuring good compliance as well (9). Most aspects of rheumatology practice have changed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and new modes of care delivery may reshape practices and help with workforce shortages and asymmetric distribution of providers; furthermore, our challenge will also be to get information about the effect of rheumatic disease therapies on dysregulated inflammatory responses that may be associated with the morbidity and mortality that are seen with COVID-19.…”

“…It can represent an additional and potentially suitable tool for follow-up monitoring of patients especially during the pandemic lockdown, and through it, we were able to ensure continuity of specific treatments for the management of inflammatory pathologies by identifying urgent remote situations, such as an infectious complication or a serious onset of the disease that requires physical consultation (8,9).…”