The emergence and rapid global spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to unprecedented efforts by the scientific community to understand physiopathological mechanisms of the 2019 Coronavirus – (CoViD-19).
 

The severity and mortality rate of CoViD-19 has been associated with various risk factors (e.g. hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease) but the effects of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases and related immunosuppressive treatments on CoViD-19 are still little-known.

The project sets out to establish the risk posed by CoViD-19 in fragile patients with chronic inflammatory  bowel disease (IBD) in relation to the type of immunosuppressive treatment prescribed to patients (methotrexate, thiopurine and biological). The collected results will be of significance as the immunosuppressive drugs analysed are commonly used by other categories of fragile patients affected by chronic inflammatory diseases. The project also intends to define various molecules involved in the SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to improve knowledge of mechanisms used by the virus to enter the body and evaluate the impact that modulation of certain molecular circuits may have on vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2.

This makes it possible to acquire new data on the gastrointestinal symptoms that occur ocasionally in patients with CoViD-19, and their potential impact on the seriousness of the disease. Finally, the project aims to identify potential biomarkers in easily accessible biological samples (blood and faeces) in order to evaluate the risk of development of Co-ViD-19 in patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, and to monitor the clinical evolution.

The project will be carried out in collaboration with IRCCS Policlinico San Donato and the Fondazione IRCCS Ca 'Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico which will perform the clinical work, including recruitment of patients, and the collection of clinical data and biological samples.