Will active lupus, as well as attacking my body, be more or less likely to successfully attack a virus?

[Clairedown]

Autoimmune disease and fighting Covid

[Caramia1964]

Think that is the million dollar question!

[LisaSnow]

It is impossible to predict. Even in disease-free population we see a big range of COVID symptom presentation. The pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders is that of "autoimmunity", immunity responding inappropriately to the self. This does not equate immunity responds to the foreign invaders such as virus more robustly, rather, there could be a defect too . Additionally, medications used to treat autoimmune diseases suppress the natural defense mechanism of our immune system so if I have to bet, I would say patients are more likely to get sicker from COVID.

[Clairedown in reply to LisaSnow]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. As we leave a year of lockdown and shielding these questions become more important, even after receiving the jabs. Getting the balance between living and being safe is a difficult one especially with shifting risks. My good wishes go to you all.

[Hidden in reply to Clairedown]

The constant messages, daily, hourly 😩😣 from government and media is that all need to be vaccinated but???

[miccika1]

no. your autoantibodies are not the same as antibodies needed to ward off covid

[LisaSnow]

I think you have been taking very good care of yourself and that's why you haven't gotten any viral infection, which is wonderful. The two medications you are on are not protective against viral infections.

[panther50]

I don’t think having lupus itself offers any better odds. As Miccika says they are autoantibodies not virus antibodies, doesn’t follow you’d have a better or worse immune response to fighting the disease, than anyone else. The few studies there have been suggest lupus itself doesn’t put you at increased risk- good news! The risk can be increased by our medication >10mg steroids increased hospitalisation,interestingly anti-TNFs may decrease the risk. They were looking into them for COVID treatment. Anyway upshot was it’s the medication, not lupus that changes your risk. Although, if you’re having a flare or generally unwell, you aren’t going to be in the best place to fight COVID- personally don’t want to find out😷😷😷

ard.bmj.com/content/79/7/859

[GloomyEeyore]

I too am on Hydroxychloroquine and it isn’t an antiviral. It is a DMARD and also used as an antimalarial.

[GloomyEeyore]

That’s really interesting. I’ve been on this medication 10 years and was told it was antimalarial not antiviral. You learn something new every day. Thank you.

[panther50 in reply to GloomyEeyore]

You’re correct anti malarial not an anti viral. It didn’t help Mr Trump said that rubbish about taking hydroxychloriquine for protection against COVID. This was complete rubbish like everything else that comes out of his mouth. 🤬

[Roarah]

Not sure if we might be somewhat protected from catching covid. However Covid, the flu and community pneumonia all become deadly do to sepsis generally not the actual respiratory infection. It is sepsis generated DIC and thrombosis that cause the deaths often. Sepsis is a over reaction of your autoimmune system. It is bought on by things like infection, trauma, or toxic shock. People with lupus are more prone to sepsis generally as is sometimes seen in catastrophic APS.

[KayHimm]

I think they were hopeful about Hydroxy with regards to Covid but it didn’t pan out. That article is from 2014.

[GloomyEeyore]

Interesting. I haven’t had a cold or flu since before starting on Hydroxychloroquine. X

[KayHimm]

« WHO advises against hydroxychloroquine to curb COVID -19. » This is from Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.

Monoclonal antibodies, if given early, have been effective in high risk patients who are not seriously ill.

Eli Lilly has an anti-viral that is showing promise.

[LisaSnow]

I would like to point out that the article you shared shows that in cell dishes, certain immunity related markers get altered. It provides no evidence that the drug kills virus in vivo, in vitro, or that this observation can be replicated in a living human. I teach in medical school so it is important to me that readers understand the research articles without overselling the results.

[panther50 in reply to LisaSnow]

Curious what article-I can’t see it has it been removed? I agree very important to stick to facts. Everyone has to make their own decision about the vaccine, but I think it’s dangerous to make the leap from 2 random unrelated articles- one person with natural immunity to COVID and something Dr Hughes wrote some years ago about people with lupus catching less colds, flu (not sure what statistics back this up) or that there could be any sort of conclusion from these completely different COVID viruses anyway. COVID-19 behaves so differently to anything else.

I don’t think either suggest that people with lupus have some sort of natural protection against COVID. There have been plenty of people with lupus hospitalised and have died from COVID (see the article I posted above). There is however recent studies and evidence that the vaccine works and definitely does provide protection for people with AI conditions.

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK in reply to panther50]

Hi panther50 . The article has been removed from this post because it contained false information and anti-vaccine propaganda.

I am aware of some UK-based studies looking at COVID-19 infections in people with lupus and other rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases. These are not yet published yet, but it was suggested that people with lupus (and accounting for medication as a variable) may actually be at an increased risk of contracting the virus and of having serious illness when compared to the population as a whole. I can't confirm this until the papers have been published in a peer-reviewed journal though.

[panther50 in reply to Paul_Howard]

Thanks for explaining and for monitoring the content. I was concerned anti-vax was creeping in. Yes every study I’ve read so far suggested at least the same (if not on meds or other co-morbidities) or increased risk of serious illness if you have lupus. No evidence at all that having lupus would put you at less risk.

[LisaSnow]

😊