COVID-19 scenario and recommendations on the continuity of immunobiological therapy in patients with atopic asthma in Brazil and Latin America

ABSTRACT

Introduction

With the abrupt establishment of the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment for immunological diseases may be influenced by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Immunobiologics play a pivotal role in the management of severe symptoms of allergy, and an opinion regarding the continuity of this treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic must be issued.

Areas covered

In Brazil and other countries, patients with severe asthma have been included in the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination, even those who are undergoing immunobiological therapy. Data are insufficient to support the influence of this therapy on severe COVID-19. Therapeutic strategies for asthma and guidelines/statements of the main societies of Allergy in Latin America on the continuity of treatment with immunobiologics during the COVID-19 pandemic were obtained from the institutional websites and papers published up to September 2021.

Expert opinion

Although the association between asthma and COVID-19 has been under investigation, immunobiological treatment should follow the consensus-based statements recommending the maintenance of the therapy unless the patient is infected by the SARS-CoV-2. However, it must be closely followed by the medical assistant.

KEYWORDS:

• Allergy
• covid-19
• sars-cov-2
• immunobiologics
• monoclonal antibody
• therapy

Article highlights

• Immunobiological therapy has been well established for allergy and potentially for COVID-19.

• Although influence of immunobiologics in the vaccine efficacy is not fully cleared, the use of immunobiologics cannot be a barrier to vaccination for COVID-19.

• As for other allergies, immunobiological treatment for asthma must be continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, unless the subject is infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Declaration of interests

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This manuscript was funded by Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brazil.