Change in the Frequency of Autoimmune Diseases in Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lock-Down Period Compared to the Pre-Pandemic Period

Year 2023, Volume: 45 Issue: 1, 42 - 49, 23.01.2023

Birgül Kırel Aslı Kavaz Tufan Ayşe Sülü Gonca Kılıç Yıldırım Nuran Cetın Koray Harmanci Birsen Ucar Sabiha Sahin Enver Simsek Kursat Bora Carman Ömer Kılıç Eren Göçhasanoğlu Sumeyye Emel Yel Hülya Özen Ersin Yüksel Can Aydın Coşkun Yarar

https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1116439

Abstract

We aimed to determine the frequencies of new-onset disease/attacks of autoimmune diseases (AD) during the COVID-19 pandemic and lock-down period compared to the pre-pandemic period. The patients (n=171) (aged between 0-18 yrs.) who were applied with AD to our hospital during the one year period before and first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and lock-down were included in this study. The frequencies of hospital applications with new-onset disease/attacks of AD were investigated retrospectively and compared between the two periods. The number of new-onset disease/attacks in the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods were determined as follows, 111 and 65 respectively (p<0.001). The proportions of applications to hospital in patients with post-streptococal disease and Henoch-Schönlein purpura have decreased during the pandemic, while a significant increase in frequency of new-onset type 1 diabetes mellitus has been observed. The frequency of applications for minimal change disease, systemic lupus erythematosus and Guillain Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis did not alter substantially between the two periods. None of the patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown period, the frequencies of AD diseases such as Henoch-Schönlein purpura and post-streptococal disease have decreased considerably indicating indirectly that infectious agents related with the etiology/course of AD and thus highlights the importance of isolation and hygiene measures. Increased frequency of type diabetes mellitus during this period suggests that factors other than infections may be effective in the etiopathogenesis of disease, or that protective agents or their effects might have decreased or changed.

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic and lock-down, autoimmune diseases, children

Supporting Institution

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Thanks

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COVID-19 Pandemisi ve Karantina Döneminde Çocuklarda Otoimmün Hastalıkların Sıklığının Pandemi Öncesi Döneme Göre Değişimi

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemi ve kapanma döneminde pandemik öncesi döneme kıyasla yeni başlangıçlı hastalık/otoimmün hastalıkların ataklarının sıklığını belirlemeyi amaçladık. Bu çalışmaya COVID-19 pandemisi ve kapanma döneminin bir yıl öncesi ve ilk yılı boyunca hastanemizde otoimmun hastalık tanısı ile izlenen hastalar (n = 171) (0-18 yaş arası) dahil edildi. Yeni tanı alan hasta sayısı ve otoimmun hastalığın atak sayılarının sıklıkları geriye dönük olarak araştırıldı ve iki dönem arasında sıklıklar karşılaştırıldı. Pandemi öncesi ve pandemik dönemde yeni başlangıçlı hastalık/atakların sayısı sırasıyla 111 ve 65 olarak belirlendi (p <0.001). Post-streptokal hastalık ve Henoch-Schönlein purpurası hastalarında hastaneye başvuru oranları pandemi sırasında azalırken, yeni tanı tip 1 diyabetes mellitus sıklığında önemli bir artış gözlendi. Minimal lezyon hastalığı, sistemik lupus eritematozus, Guillain Barre sendromu (GBS) ve multipl skleroz için başvuru sıklığı iki dönem arasında anlamlı bir farklılık göstermedi. Hastaların hiçbirine COVID-19 teşhisi konmadı. COVID-19 pandemisi ve kapanma dönemi boyunca, Henoch-Schönlein purpurası ve post-streptokal hastalık gibi otoimmun hastalıkların sıklıkları, otoimmun hastalık etiyolojisi ve seyrinde infeksiyöz ajanların rol oynadığını destekleyecek şekilde önemli ölçüde azalmıştır. Bu durum izolasyon ve hijyen ölçümlerinin önemini vurgulamaktadır. Bu dönemde tip 1 diyabet mellitus sıklığının artmış sıklığı, enfeksiyonlar dışındaki faktörlerin hastalığın etiopatogenezinde etkili olabileceğini veya koruyucu ajanların veya etkilerinin azalmış olabileceğini veya değişebileceğini düşündürmektedir.

Keywords

COVİD-19 pandemi ve kapanma dönemi, otoimmün hastalıklar, çocukluk çağı

Project Number

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