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.

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