Inborn errors of immunity are associated with increased COVID-19–related hospitalization and intensive care compared to the general population

Abstract

Background

It is thought that patients with inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are more susceptible to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than the general population, but a quantification of this potential risk is largely missing.

Objective

We assessed the impact of COVID-19 on patients with IEI.

Methods

A nationwide cohort study was performed to estimate the relative risk (RR) for hospitalization, intensive care, and death within 30 days after a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test result in an IEI population (n = 2392) compared to the general population (n = 8,270,705) using data from Swedish national registries. Three time periods were studied: the prevaccination period, and the Alpha/Delta and Omicron periods. Adjustment was made for demographics, income, comorbidities, and vaccination status.

Results

During the prevaccination period, 25.2% of the IEI population was hospitalized, compared to 17.5% and 5.2% during the Alpha/Delta and Omicron periods, respectively. For the 3 time periods, the adjusted RR [95% confidence interval] for hospitalization in the IEI population compared to the general population was 3.1 [2.1-4.2], 3.5 [2.4-4.8], and 4.3 [2.5-6.7], respectively. The respective values for intensive care after COVID-19 were 5.6 [2.6-10.8], 4.7 [1.7-10.1], and 4.7 [1.7-10.1] for the 3 periods. Five patients (0.6%) in the IEI population died within 30 days of a positive PCR test result compared to 18,773 (0.2%) in the general population during the 3 study periods.

Conclusion

Patients with IEI had a 3 to 4 times higher risk for hospitalization and a 5 times higher risk for intensive care during COVID-19 compared to the general population.