AB0075 CAPILLAROSCOPY IN COVID-19 SURVIVORS AND COPD AFFECTED PATIENTS: A PILOT STUDY
Authors: B. Ruaro, A. Romallo, F. Salton, P. Confalonieri, L. Mondini, M. Confalonieri
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Both COVID-19 and Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are multisystemic diseases that causes endothelial dysfunction and organ damage [1,2]. <h3>Objectives:</h3> The aim of the study was to evaluate the microvascular status in COVID-19 survivors, treated with non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and in COPD affected patients comparable by age and sex, including possible effects of concomitant therapies. <h3>Methods:</h3> We enrolled 40 patients in the study with microcirculation disfunction arisen after COVID-19 infection, treated with NIV (mean age 56 ± 11 years old, months after the hospital discharge 3 ± 1) and 40 patients affected by COPD in moderate stage (mean age 59 ± 13 years old, duration of the disease 5 ± 3 years) and then we performed a nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) to them. The following capillaroscopy parameters were evaluated: number of capillaries per millimitres (mm), giant capillaries, microhemorrhages and angiogenesis. The VAS scale for Raynaud was administered to all patients. The descriptive data are reported like mean with standard deviation, possible connections between the groups and the features of capillaries were explored preliminary with an adequate univariate analysis and then better investigated with a multinomial logistic regression model using a control group as reference. All the analyses were adjusted for the characteristics of the two populations: age, sex, BMI, comorbidities and concomitant treatments. The analyses were executed using software R, version 4.2.1. In 10 patients affected by post COVID-19 disease aminaphtone has been prescribed and we're running a study to evaluate the NVC changes in these patients after six months of treatment. <h3>Results:</h3> The mean number of nail capillaries per linear millimetre was significantly inferior in COVID-19 survivors (mean value 5± 2 capillaries/mm) compared with COPD affected patient (mean value 8 ± 1 capillaries/mm) (univariate and multivariate analysis p&lt;0,001). There was no statistically significant difference between COVID-19 survivors and control groups regarding the frequency of microhemorrhages, dilatation and ramification of capillaries (p&gt;0.05). The preliminary data at six months show that the treatment with aminaphtone in 10 post COVID-19 disease patients produces an improvement of the symptoms (p&lt;0.003) and a decrease of the aspecific alteration of NVC (p&lt;0.02). <h3>Conclusion:</h3> SARS-CoV-2 can mainly induce a significant decrease of capillaries in COVID-19 survivors compared to COPD affected patients. The preliminary data seem to support the efficacy of Capillarema® inducing the decrease of the aspecific alteration of capillaroscopy in post COVID disease patients that showed microcirculation alterations. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> [1] Mondini L, Confalonieri P, Pozzan R, et al. Microvascular Alteration in COVID-19 Documented by Nailfold Capillaroscopy. <i>Diagnostics (Basel</i>). 2023;13(11):1905. Published 2023. doi:10.3390/diagnostics13111905. [2] Perez T, Mal H, Aguilaniu B, et al. BPCO et inflammation: mise au point d'un groupe d'experts. Les phénotypes en lien avec l'inflammation [COPD and inflammation: statement from a French expert group. Phenotypes related to inflammation]. <i>Rev Mal Respir</i>. 2011;28(2):192-215. doi:10.1016/j.rmr.2010.08.011. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>