COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology

Immunomodulatory agents are often used in the systemic treatment of non-infectious uveitis. These drugs consist of corticosteroids, conventional immunosuppressives, and biological agents. As it is known that they suppress the immune system, the most important concern associated with immunomodulatory...

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Main Authors: Mehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci, F. Nilüfer Yalçındağ, İlknur Tugal-Tutkun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2021-08-01
Series:Türk Oftalmoloji Dergisi
Subjects:
Online Access: http://www.oftalmoloji.org/archives/archive-detail/article-preview/covd-19-and-the-use-of-mmunomodulatory-agents-in-o/48750
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author Mehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci
F. Nilüfer Yalçındağ
İlknur Tugal-Tutkun
author_facet Mehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci
F. Nilüfer Yalçındağ
İlknur Tugal-Tutkun
author_sort Mehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci
collection DOAJ
description Immunomodulatory agents are often used in the systemic treatment of non-infectious uveitis. These drugs consist of corticosteroids, conventional immunosuppressives, and biological agents. As it is known that they suppress the immune system, the most important concern associated with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) is the increased risk of infection. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Although severe acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection may develop in all people, patients who receive IMT may be at higher risk in terms of both the transmission of the infection and more severe disease course. Therefore, guidelines on the management of patients receiving IMT due to uveitis during the pandemic are needed. In this review, we examined the immunomodulatory drugs used in the treatment of uveitis in terms of infectious complications and the data of patients who received IMT during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed recommendations for the use of these drugs. According to the latest information, patients who receive IMT may continue their treatment as long as there are no disruptions in regular complete blood count (especially white blood cell count >4,000/μL) and liver and kidney function tests. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 should be managed with a multidisciplinary approach.
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spelling doaj.art-4c66b5f241cd4d19b2581c1f20b0f4922023-02-15T16:15:50ZengGalenos YayineviTürk Oftalmoloji Dergisi1300-06592147-26612021-08-0151423124210.4274/tjo.galenos.2021.6825213049054COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in OphthalmologyMehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci0F. Nilüfer Yalçındağ1İlknur Tugal-Tutkun2 Çankırı Devlet Hastanesi, Göz Hastalıkları Kliniği, Çankırı, Türkiye Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, Ankara, Türkiye İstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi, Göz Hastalıkları Anabilim Dalı, İstanbul, Türkiye Immunomodulatory agents are often used in the systemic treatment of non-infectious uveitis. These drugs consist of corticosteroids, conventional immunosuppressives, and biological agents. As it is known that they suppress the immune system, the most important concern associated with immunomodulatory therapy (IMT) is the increased risk of infection. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Although severe acute respiratory distress syndrome secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection may develop in all people, patients who receive IMT may be at higher risk in terms of both the transmission of the infection and more severe disease course. Therefore, guidelines on the management of patients receiving IMT due to uveitis during the pandemic are needed. In this review, we examined the immunomodulatory drugs used in the treatment of uveitis in terms of infectious complications and the data of patients who received IMT during the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed recommendations for the use of these drugs. According to the latest information, patients who receive IMT may continue their treatment as long as there are no disruptions in regular complete blood count (especially white blood cell count >4,000/μL) and liver and kidney function tests. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 should be managed with a multidisciplinary approach. http://www.oftalmoloji.org/archives/archive-detail/article-preview/covd-19-and-the-use-of-mmunomodulatory-agents-in-o/48750 covid-19immunomodulatory therapyimmunosuppressivenon-infectious uveitissars-cov-2
spellingShingle Mehmet Fatih Kağan Değirmenci
F. Nilüfer Yalçındağ
İlknur Tugal-Tutkun
COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
Türk Oftalmoloji Dergisi
covid-19
immunomodulatory therapy
immunosuppressive
non-infectious uveitis
sars-cov-2
title COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
title_full COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
title_fullStr COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
title_full_unstemmed COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
title_short COVID-19 and the Use of Immunomodulatory Agents in Ophthalmology
title_sort covid 19 and the use of immunomodulatory agents in ophthalmology
topic covid-19
immunomodulatory therapy
immunosuppressive
non-infectious uveitis
sars-cov-2
url http://www.oftalmoloji.org/archives/archive-detail/article-preview/covd-19-and-the-use-of-mmunomodulatory-agents-in-o/48750
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