TABLE 1

Treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease and COVID-19 (as of July 2020)

Severity COVID-19Treatment
Mild
  • Outpatient

  • Patient hospitalized without hypoxia or pneumonia

Continue 5-ASA, rectal therapies, budesonide
Hold tofacitinib, methotrexate, and thiopurinesa
Taper corticosteroids and/or switch to budesonide
Delay biologics for 2 weeks or until COVID-19 resolvesa
Individualize each patient: Weigh risks and benefits of COVID and IBD
   treatment. A patient with severe IBD may require treatment irrespective
   of COVID-19
Moderate
  • Hospitalized patient with hypoxia

  • Radiographic signs of pneumonia

Treat COVID-19 as per local guidelines
Continue 5-ASA, rectal therapies, budesonide
Hold tofacitinib, methotrexate, and thiopurinesa
Taper corticosteroids and/or switch to budesonide
Delay biologics for 2 weeks or until COVID-19 resolvesa
Severe
  • Patient requires mechanical ventilation or vasopressor therapy

  • End-organ damage

Treat COVID-19 as per local guidelines
Continue 5-ASA, rectal therapies, budesonide
Hold tofacitinib, methotrexate and thiopurinesa
Taper corticosteroids and/or switch to budesonide
Delay biologics for 2 weeks or until COVID-19 resolvesa
aConsiderations for restarting therapy:
  • If asymptomatic: wait at least 10 days since date of first positive COVID-19 test.

  • If symptomatic: wait at least 10 days since COVID-19 symptom onset and at least 3 days since recovery (defined as resolution of fever and improvement in respiratory symptoms). In severe COVID-19, a longer time frame may be necessary.

  • AGA = American Gastroenterological Association; ASA = aminosalicylates; IBD = inflammatory bowel disease; IOIBD = International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

  • Adapted from the AGA17 and IOIBD recommendations.18