Influence of biologic and conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on COVID-19 incidence among rheumatic patients during the first and second wave of the pandemic in Iran.

Introduction: During the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, immunosuppressive agents in treating chronic disease have become a concern, and rheumatic patients are not an exception. The controversies about the deteriorating effects of such medications led this study to evaluate the influence of biologic and conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on the incidence of COVID-19 infection in rheumatic patients. Material and methods: In the present cohort-analytical study, 512 patients with rheumatic diseases were enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). The incidence of COVID-19 infection was diagnosed according to the definition of the Iranian Ministry of Health. The frequency of COVID-19 infection in patients treated with biological and conventional DMARDs and glucocorticosteroids were compared. Results: Among 512 rheumatic patients, 19.9% were definitely infected with COVID-19, and 23.3% of infected patients were hospitalized. Only one patient with vasculitis died during the two outbreaks. Our study showed that adding biologic DMARDs to conventional DMARDs did not increase the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, unlike biologic DMARDs, in conventional DMARDs, methotrexate increased, and hydroxychloroquine decreased COVID-19 infection. Regression analysis showed that prednisolone at a dosage higher than 10 mg/day increased the risk of COVID-19 infection 5-fold; hydroxychloroquine had a protective impact and reduced the risk of infection by 40%. Conclusions: Biologic DMARDs and the type of selected rheumatic diseases in our study did not influence the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Prednisolone raised the coronavirus infection, and hydroxychloroquine played a protective role in the current study. Most of our patients showed good adherence to the health protocols. Further studies after worldwide vaccination are now required to reevaluate the influence of rheumatic diseases and DMARDs on COVID-19 infection.

Comparison of Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens in patients with end stage renal disease.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication regimens in patients with end stage renal disease. BACKGROUND: In patients undergoing hemodialysis, the pathologic changes seen in the stomach may be the result of high serum levels of gastrin, delayed gastric emptying or HP infection. METHODS: Our study was a randomized clinical trial in which 120 patients with ESRD (Patients who undergo hemodialysis) confirmed HP infection, were divided to four groups having 2-week eradication regimens; Group I: LCA (lansoprazole 30 mg-BD,clarithromycin 250 mg-BD, amoxicillin 500 mg-BD), Group II: LCM (lansoprazole 30 mg-BD,clarithromycin 250 mg-BD, metronidazole 500 mg-BD), Group III: LCAM (lansoprazole 30 mg-BD,clarithromycin 250 mg-BD,amoxicillin 500 mg-BD, metronidazole 500 mg-BD) and Group IV: Sequential (lansoprazole 30 mg-BDfor two weeks; first week: amoxicillin 500 mg-BD and second week: clarithromycin 250 mg-BD, metronidazole 500 mg-BD).6 weeks after treatment, Urea Breath Test (UBT) was performed for all patients. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 43.1±11.2 years. 55.8% of patients were male. The success rates of HP eradication in 4 groups were76.7%, 70%, 90% and 90%, respectively. HP eradication rates were not statistically different among the regimens (p=0.11). There were not significant differences among the groups regarding demographic and anthropometric variables. CONCLUSION: The results showed there was no significant difference between the success rates of HP eradication regimens for ESRD patients. According to approved regimen for 90% eradication rate, with a lower number of medications and given the less risk of side effects and drug interactions, the sequential regimen is the best.

Addition of cranberry to proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

OBJECTIVE: Proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy with two antibiotics for Helicobacter pylori eradication is widely accepted, but this combination fails in a considerable number of cases. Some studies have shown that cranberry inhibits the adhesion of a wide range of microbial pathogens, including H. pylori. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of cranberry on H. pylori eradication with a standard therapy including lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin (LCA) in patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD). METHODS: In this study, H. pylori-positive patients with PUD were randomized into two groups: Group A: A 14-day LCA triple therapy with 30 mg lansoprazole bid, 1000 mg amoxicillin bid, and 500 mg clarithromycin bid; Group B: A 14-day 500 mg cranberry capsules bid plus LCA triple therapy. A 13C-urea breath test was performed for eradication assessment 6 weeks after the completion of the treatment. FINDINGS: Two hundred patients (53.5% males, between 23 and 77 years, mean age ± standard deviation: 50.29 ± 17.79 years) continued treatment protocols and underwent 13C-urea breath testing. H. pylori eradication was achieved in 74% in Group A (LCA without cranberry) and 89% in Group B (LCA with cranberry) (P = 0.042). CONCLUSION: The addition of cranberry to LCA triple therapy for H. pylori has a higher rate of eradication than the standard regimen alone (up to 89% and significant).