Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found that no COVID-19 fatalities have been reported in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Los Angeles County, Calif., according to Consultant360.
During a virtual meeting Aug. 22, Gil Melmed, MD, and Christina Ha, MD, of Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles shared five takeaways from a review of SECURE-IBD Registry, which was established to help researchers examine how COVID-19 affects patients with IBD:
1. More than 220,000 residents of Los Angeles County have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
2. Six deaths and 773 cases of COVID-19 have been reported among patients with IBD in the U.S. Worldwide, there have been 2,035 COVID-19 cases in IBD patients and 64 deaths recorded.
However, as data is self-reported to the SECURE-IBD Registry, Dr. Melmed noted "we don't know what we don't know."
3. Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapeutics, methotrexate, tofacitinib and azathioprine do not appear to increase patients' risk of COVID-19, researchers found.
4. The risk of COVID-19 infection does appear to be higher for patients using corticosteroids, so Drs. Melmed and Ha cautioned gastroenterologists against using steroids during the pandemic.
5. They encouraged gastroenterologists performing endoscopic procedures to wear N95 masks and double gloves, using negative pressure in cases where the patient is known or presumed to be COVID-19-positive.