COVID-19: Overview of rheumatology fellows

Reumatol Clin (Engl Ed). 2021 Nov;17(9):491-493. doi: 10.1016/j.reumae.2020.05.001. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

SARS-COV-2 infection has spread worldwide since it originated in December 2019, in Wuhan, China. The pandemic has largely demonstrated the resilience of the world's health systems and is the greatest health emergency since World War II. There is no single therapeutic approach to the treatment of COVID-19 and the associated immune disorder. The lack of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) has led different countries to tackle the disease based on case series, or from results of observational studies with off-label drugs. We as rheumatologists in general, and specifically rheumatology fellows, have been on the front line of the pandemic, modifying our activities and altering our training itinerary. We have attended patients, we have learned about the management of the disease and from our previous experience with drugs for arthritis and giant cell arteritis, we have used these drugs to treat COVID-19.

La infección por SARS-COV-2 se ha extendido por todo el mundo desde diciembre de 2019, en Wuhan, China. La pandemia ha demostrado ampliamente la resistencia de los sistemas de salud mundiales, convirtiéndose en la mayor emergencia sanitaria desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial. No existe un enfoque terapéutico único para el tratamiento de COVID-19 y el trastorno inmunitario asociado. La falta de ensayos clínicos aleatorizados (ECA) ha llevado a diferentes países a enfrentar la enfermedad en base a series de casos, o a partir de resultados de estudios observacionales con fármacos fuera de ficha técnica.

Los reumatólogos en general, y específicamente los residentes, hemos vivido en primera línea la pandemia, modificando nuestras actividades y alterando nuestro itinerario formativo. Hemos atendido pacientes, hemos aprendido el manejo y gracias a nuestra experiencia previa en fármacos para la artritis o la arteritis de células gigantes, hemos utilizado estos fármacos para tratar la COVID-19.

Keywords: Biological agents; Biológicos; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Pandemia; Pandemic; Resident; Residente; Reumatólogos; Rheumatologists.

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / complications
  • Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Biological Factors / therapeutic use*
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Education, Medical, Graduate
  • Fellowships and Scholarships
  • Global Health
  • Humans
  • Immunocompromised Host
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Opportunistic Infections / complications
  • Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy
  • Opportunistic Infections / immunology
  • Patient Care Team / organization & administration
  • Physician's Role*
  • Practice Patterns, Physicians'
  • Rheumatic Diseases / complications
  • Rheumatic Diseases / drug therapy
  • Rheumatic Diseases / immunology
  • Rheumatologists* / education
  • Rheumatologists* / organization & administration
  • Rheumatology / education
  • Rheumatology / methods
  • Rheumatology / organization & administration
  • Spain / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Biological Factors
  • Immunosuppressive Agents