Post-COVID-19 syndrome and quality of life impairment in severe COVID-19 Mexican patients.

Introduction: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) usually occurs 3 months after the onset of COVID-19 with a symptom duration of at least 2 months without an alternative diagnosis. Objective: This study aimed to describe the prevalence, characteristics, and impact on the quality of life (QoL) of post-COVID-19 syndrome in patients with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Patients who required hospitalization due to COVID-19 between March 2020 and October 2021 were invited to answer a PCS questionnaire and the EQ-5D instrument. A total of 246 patients were included: 187 (76%) met the definition of PCS and 54% were men, with a median age of 50 years (IQR 41-63). Results: From 187 patients with PCS, the median time to symptom onset after hospital discharge was 1 day (IQR 1-20), and the median symptom duration was 150 days (IQR 90-225). A total of 27 different symptoms were reported; the most frequent were difficulty concentrating (81%), dyspnea (75%), arthralgia (71%), fatigue (68%), and hair loss (60%). Some symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, arthralgia/myalgia, and hair loss, were more prevalent in women with PCS. Patients with PCS had a higher frequency of tobacco smoking (37 vs. 4%, p = 0.02) and increased severity of lung involvement in the initial chest tomography (75 vs. 58%, p = 0.01) than those without PCS. Patients with PCS were less likely to receive antivirals (15.5 vs. 27%, p = 0.04). No difference between ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital stay was found. Patients with PCS had a lower visual analog scale result for EQ-5D vs. those without (80 [IQR 70-90] vs. 89.5 [IQR 75-90], p = 0.05). All five QoL dimensions were affected in PCS patients, showing increased pain/discomfort (67 vs. 39%, p = < 0.001), difficulties in performing usual activities (39.2 vs. 20.3%, p = 0.03), and anxiety/depression (57.5 vs. 37%, p = 0.02). Conclusion: PCS occurred in 76% of hospitalized patients with prolonged duration and QoL impairment. Neurological symptoms such as difficulty concentrating were the most frequent symptoms. Timely diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are required.

Sociocultural and moral narratives influencing the decision to vaccinate among rheumatic disease patients: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Vaccination is a process that involves individual, social, and ethical aspects, beyond public governance of vaccines or vaccination as a public health concern. The aim of this study is to describe the sociocultural and moral narratives that influence the decision to vaccinate in general and to vaccinate against COVID-19 specifically, among patients at the rheumatology units of two hospitals. METHODS: Qualitative study involving individual semi-structured interviews following an interview guide. We conducted a thematic analysis using the ATLAS.ti software, with further triangulation to verify concordance and aid in the interpretation of the data from a medical anthropology framework and using a narrative ethics approach to gain insight into the participants' underlying moral values. RESULTS: We interviewed 37 patients in total, along with 3 rheumatologists. Five core themes emerged from the analysis to understand the decision to vaccinate: (1) information about vaccines and disease, (2) perceived risk-benefit of vaccination, (3) the physician-patient relationship, (4) governance of vaccination programs, (5) attitudes towards vaccines. Individual and family experiences with vaccination are diverse depending on the type of vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine, as a new medical technology, is met with more controversy leading to hesitancy. CONCLUSIONS: The decision to vaccinate among Mexican rheumatic disease patients can sometimes involve doubt and distrust, especially for those with a lupus diagnosis, but ultimately there is acceptance in most cases. Though patients make and value autonomous decisions, there is a collective process involving sociocultural and ethical aspects. Key points • The complexity of vaccine decision-making is better identified through a narrative, qualitative approach like the one used in this study, as opposed to solely quantitative approaches • Sociocultural and moral perspectives of vaccination shape decision-making and, therefore, highlight the importance of including patients in the development of effective clinical practice guidelines as well as ethically justified public policy • Sociohistorical context and personal experiences of immunization influence vaccine decision-making much more than access to biomedical information about vaccines, showing that approaches based on the information deficit model are inadequate to fight vaccine hesitancy.

The COVID-19 epidemic curve and vaccine acceptance among patients with rheumatic diseases: an ecological study.

The attitudes toward emerging COVID-19 vaccines have been of great interest worldwide, especially among vulnerable populations such as patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the nationwide number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, and vaccine acceptance or hesitancy of patients with RMDs from four patient care centers in Mexico. Furthermore, we explored differences in acceptance according to specific diagnoses: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This ecological study was a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study using a validated questionnaire to measure vaccine acceptance. We generated a global Likert scale to evaluate overall attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. We analyzed data from 1336 patients from March to September 2021: 85.13% (1169) were women, with a mean age of 47.87 (SD 14.14) years. The most frequent diagnoses were RA (42.85%, 559) and SLE (27.08%, 393). 635(47.52%) patients were unvaccinated, 253(18.93%) had one dose and 478(35.77%) had two doses. Of all participating patients, 94% were accepting toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine acceptance remained consistently high throughout the study. However, differences in vaccine acceptance are identified when comparing diagnoses. The peak of the national epidemic curve coincided with an increase in hesitancy among patients with RA. Contrastingly, patients with SLE became more accepting as the epidemic curve peaked. Mexican patients show high acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, influenced in part by a patient's specific diagnosis. Furthermore, vaccine acceptance increased mirroring the curve of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country. This should be taken into consideration when updating recommendations for clinical practice.

Perception of risk and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with rheumatic diseases: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic may affect chronic disease outcomes among patients with rheumatic diseases (RD). To describe and compare the perception of risk and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with RD from two health care centers compared with a control group. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Patient respondents completed an online survey to measure risk perception and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The case group consisted of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of RD, coming from two third-level health care centers. The control group was a population group without RD from a public university. RESULTS: A total of 3944 participants were included: 986 patients with an RD (cases) from the two hospital centers and 2958 controls without RD. A greater perception of risk severity and perception of contagion was observed in the group of patients with RD, OR: 1.70, 95% CI 1.44‒2.01 and OR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.79‒2.23, respectively; more significant deterioration in family life OR: 1.14, 95% CI 1.01‒1.29; greater economic impact, OR 3.94, 95% CI 3.48‒4.46; as well as negative emotions and feelings (alarmed, anxiety, depression, confusion, fear, isolation, and discrimination). This impact was maintained when the model was adjusted for comorbidities. CONCLUSION: In the face of an unexpected and catastrophic event such as the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with RD report apparently greater impact on their mental state and economic situation than the control population, as well as increased perception of discrimination. Key Points • The multidisciplinary analyses of risk perception are required to promote actions that can enhance the preparedness and responses of public efforts for possible future pandemics in a way that considers the specific needs of vulnerable people like patients with rheumatic diseases. • Identifying risk perceptions of possible effects of the pandemic, sources of communication, and opinions is essential to ensure self-care in rheumatic disease. • The impact of COVID-19 has been much greater for people with rheumatic disease, especially in terms of the perceived severity of the pandemic, impacts on family and economy, preventive behaviors, and uncertainty.

Factors associated to COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Mexican patients with rheumatic diseases: A cross-sectional and multicenter study.

COVID-19 vaccination is recommended in patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs) to prevent hospitalized COVID-19 and worse outcomes. However, patients' willingness to receive a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and the associated factors vary across populations, vaccines, and time. The objective was to identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (VA) in Mexican outpatients with RDs. This multicenter study was performed between March 1 and September 30, 2021, and four national centers contributed with patients. Participants filled out a questionnaire, which included 32 items related to patients' perception of the patient-doctor relationship, the COVID-19 vaccine component, the pandemic severity, the RD-related disability, comorbid conditions control, immunosuppressive treatment impact on the immune system, and moral/civil position of COVID-19 vaccine. Sociodemographic, disease-related, and treatment-related variables and previous influenza record vaccination were also obtained. Multiple logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with VA, which was defined based on a questionnaire validated in our population. There were 1439 patients whose data were analyzed, and the most frequent diagnoses were Rheumatoid Arthritis in 577 patients (40.1%) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in 427 (29.7%). Patients were primarily middle-aged women (1235 [85.8%]), with (mean±SD) 12.1 (±4.4) years of formal education. Years of education, corticosteroid use, patient perceptions about the vaccine and the pandemic severity, patient civil/moral position regarding COVID-19 vaccine, and previous influenza vaccination were associated with VA. In Mexican patients with RDs, COVID-19 VA is associated with individual social-demographic and disease-related factors, patient´s perceptions, and previous record vaccination. This information is crucial for tailoring effective vaccine messaging in Mexican patients with RDs.