Table 4.
|
Management
|
Quiescent IBD | (1) Budesonide, aminosalycilates, and rectal therapy may be kept; (2) Taper or withdraw prednisone; (3) Stop immunomodulators, tofacitinib, and biologics; and (4) Prioritize life support; consultation with infectious diseases expert for possible COVID-19 treatment with antiviral or experimental anticitokine therapy; thromboprophylaxis |
Mildly active IBD | (1) Budesonide, aminosalycilates, and rectal therapy may be initiated; (2) Taper or withdraw prednisone; (3) Non starting or stopping if in use biologics, immunomodulators, and tofacitinib; and (4) Prioritize life support; consultation with infectious diseases expert for possible COVID-19 treatment with antiviral or experimental anticitokine therapy; thromboprophylaxis |
Moderately to severely active IBD | (1) Limited use of intravenous steroids for IBD if necessary; (2) Topical therapy may be initiated if needed; (3) Quit immunomodulators, tofacitinib, or biologics that failed for the IBD; and (4) Consider other therapies for IBD only if absolutely necessary; intravenous cyclosporine may be a reasonable option for ulcerative colitis, based on limited evidence of its benefit against coronavirus. Prioritize life support; consultation with infectious diseases expert for possible COVID-19 treatment with antiviral or experimental anticitokine therapy; thromboprophylaxis |
Immunomodulators refer to thiopurines and methotrexate. IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease; COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019; Severe COVID-19: Patient with systemic hyperinflammation syndrome needing mechanical ventilation ± vasopressors or evidence of end organ damage.