Publication date: Oct 01, 2025
The association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and new onset of immune-mediated diseases is of interest given the conflicting evidence. This study aims to gather evidence and estimate the risk of immune-mediated diseases following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Analytical observational studies reporting immune-mediated diseases after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared to individuals without infection history, were included. Thirty-nine immune-mediated diseases were defined as outcomes of interest. Studies including diagnosis within the first 30 days post-infection were excluded. PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Europe PMC were consulted. Relative risks were pooled using a random-effects model and the Mantel-Haenszel method. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses were conducted for 13 outcomes of interest from six studies. The SARS-CoV-2 exposed group exhibited significantly higher risks for 11 conditions compared to non-exposed group: BehcE7et’s disease, spondyloarthritis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, SjcF6gren’s syndrome, type 1 diabetes (in adults), vasculitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. The range of the associations varied between 2. 31 (95 % CI: 1. 87-2. 85) for systemic sclerosis to 3. 71 (95 % CI: 1. 18-11. 72) for BehcE7et’s disease. Guillain-BarrcE9 syndrome and type 1 diabetes (in the paediatric population) showed no evidence of association with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results support a higher risk of developing at least 11 immune-mediated diseases evaluated. As autoimmunity is a hallmark of post-COVID-19 syndrome, an increase in these diseases may be expected in the future. Healthcare professionals and stakeholders should prioritize research and public health surveillance based on these findings.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Diabetes | Autoimmune disease |
| Europe | Autoimmune Diseases |
| Healthcare | COVID-19 |
| Spondyloarthritis | Humans |
| Thirty | Immune System Diseases |
| New onset | |
| Risk | |
| Risk Factors | |
| SARS-CoV-2 | |
| SARS-CoV-2 |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | SARS-CoV-2 infection |
| pathway | REACTOME | SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | IDO | history |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Methionine |
| disease | MESH | systemic lupus erythematosus |
| pathway | KEGG | Systemic lupus erythematosus |
| disease | MESH | polymyalgia rheumatica |
| disease | MESH | psoriasis |
| disease | MESH | rheumatoid arthritis |
| pathway | KEGG | Rheumatoid arthritis |
| disease | MESH | syndrome |
| disease | MESH | type 1 diabetes |
| disease | MESH | vasculitis |
| disease | MESH | inflammatory bowel disease |
| pathway | KEGG | Inflammatory bowel disease |
| disease | MESH | systemic sclerosis |
| disease | MESH | autoimmunity |
| disease | MESH | Autoimmune disease |
| disease | MESH | Immune System Diseases |