The immune dysregulation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and frequent treatment with immunosuppressants have prompted concerns that these patients could be at greater risk for COVID-19.

A large study in The Lancet Rheumatology led by assistant professor of rheumatology Amit Saxena, MD, however, found that neither lupus-specific factors nor immunosuppressant use increased the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Among patients in a multiracial and multiethnic cohort who tested positive, most produced a significant and durable SARS-CoV-2 IgG response.

“Probably the biggest take-home point of this study is that the immune response is functional and enough to react to SARS-CoV-2 for the vast majority of our lupus patients, despite the use of immunosuppressants.”

Amit Saxena, MD

“Probably the biggest take-home point of this study is that the immune response is functional and enough to react to SARS-CoV-2 for the vast majority of our lupus patients, despite the use of immunosuppressants,” Dr. Saxena says.