Investigation of the effect of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 pandemic on autoantibody

Authors : Zeynep Dilara Karamurat, Emel Çalışkan, Emel Akbaş, Şükrü Öksüz, İdris Şahin

Pages : 71-77

Doi:10.21673/anadoluklin.1490524

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Publication Date : 2025-01-29

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the possible relationship between Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and systemic or organ-specific autoimmune diseases. Methods: Serum samples sent to a Medical Microbiology Laboratory from patients in various clinics with preliminary diagnoses of autoimmune disease between March 2018 and March 2022 were included in our study. During this period, the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test results studied in our laboratory were obtained from the automation system of our hospital and evaluated retrospectively. Results: In the two years before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVİD 19) pandemic and the two years during the pandemic anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity was detected in 2256 of 8325 patients who underwent indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIAF) evaluation [single pattern in 2038 patients (1363 speckled), multiple pattern in 218 patients]. When the change in autoantibody positivity over time was examined, it was determined that there was a statistically significant increase in the positivity rates of ANA, anti-double-stranded DNA antibody (anti-dsDNA), antigliadin,anti-islet cell antibody (anti -ICA) and anti-Gliadin autoantibodies in the first two years of the pandemic compared to the previous two years. No difference was observed in the positivity rates of anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA), anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA), anti-endomysium, Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) autoantibodies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The increase in the positivity rates of ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-ICA, anti-Gliadin autoantibodies during the pandemic period suggested that the COVID-19 process may affect some autoimmune diseases.
Keywords : İndirek immunfloresan ölçüm, otoantikorlar, otoimmün hastalıklar, SARS-CoV-2