6567 ANCA ASSOCIATED VASCULITIS AND COVID

Abstract Background and Aims The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought on challenges not only to acute care, but also chronic care of patients. Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) frequently require immunosuppression and may be at increased risk for developing COVID-19. The incidence and impact of COVID-19 on patients with AAV is currently not well known. We collected the data of patients with AAV infected with SARS-CoV-2, focused on the relationship with the employed immunosuppressants and the stage of chronic kidney disease. Method A retrospective study of AAV patients was conducted. Data regarding demographics, disease characteristics and therapy were confirmed by review of the electronic medical record. Information regarding current and previous therapies was collected. Results In our center there were 110 AAV patients who had data in the pandemic period. The majority was diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA, n=61) or with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, n=44), there was 5 patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Seventy pts (77%) were receiving immunosuppression treatment, sixteen (17.6%) of these patients employing rituximab during the pandemic period. Twelve patients on immunosuppression treatment for AAV was diagnosed with COVID infection. Eight pts had kidney transplantation, no one had positive PCR test. Thirty-two pts of the 110 pts with AAV was on chronic dialyisis treatment, (29 pts on haemodialysis, 3 pts on peritoneal dialysis), eleven of them had positive PCR test for COVID-19. Among the 110 pts with AAV eighteen pts (19%) had positive PCR test for COVID-19. Seven pts had mild disease (with no or mild pneumonia), no specific therapy was applied. Five of them received immunosuppression (rituximab combinated with azathioprine or micophenolate mofetil), two pts was on haemodialysis. Severe disease (dyspnea, hypoxia, or >50 percent lung involvement on imaging within 48 hours) was reported in 7 pts. Five pts was on immunosuppression treatment (2 rituximab, 2 azathioprin, 1 leflunomide), 2 of them was on haemodialysis as well, 2 pts on HD without ISU. In the hospital four patients received favipiravir and prednisolone, no one of them died. Four pts was treated with critical disease (respiratory failure, shock, or multiorgan dysfunction). Two of them was on chronic haemodialysis, and received rituximab with azathioprine, one of them died. The other two pts was without immunosuppressio