ABSTRACT
Abstract Background: Patients using immunosuppressive drugs may have unfavorable results after infections. However, there is a lack of information regarding COVID 19 in these patients, especially in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with COVID 19 hospitalizations in patients with RA. Methods: This multicenter, prospective cohort study is within the ReumaCoV Brazil registry and included 489 patients with RA. In this context, 269 patients who tested positive for COVID 19 were compared to 220 patients who tested negative for COVID 19 (control group). All patient data were collected from the Research Electronic Data Capture database. Results: The participants were predominantly female (90.6%) with a mean age of 53 ±12 years. Of the patients with COVID 19, 54 (20.1%) required hospitalization. After multiple adjustments, the final regression model showed that heart disease (OR =4.61, 95% CI 1.06-20.02. P < 0.001) and current use of glucocorticoids (OR =20.66, 95% CI 3.09-138. P < 0.002) were the risk factors associated with hospitalization. In addition, anosmia was associated with a lower chance of hospitalization (OR =0.26; 95% CI 0.10-0.67, P < 0.005). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that heart disease and the use of glucocorticoids were associated with a higher number of hospital admissions for COVID 19 in patients with RA. Trial registration: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials RBR 33YTQC.