ABSTRACT
BackgroundPatients with pre-existing rheumatic diseases may be exacerbated during SARS-CoV-2 infection, or may develop new autoimmune features. Furthermore, immunosuppressive agents used to treat autoimmunity-inflammation as well as comorbidities can also affect the disease outcome.ObjectivesTo evaluate the outcome of rheumatic diseases after Covid 19 infection in patients diagnosed with rheumatic diseases, under various immunosuppressive treatment, as well as the effects of vaccines against Covid or antiviral treatment in this sensitive population group.MethodsDuring the pandemic, 1493 patients with autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease who were continuously followed up in two tertiaries hospitals in northern and northwestern Greece were included in the current study. The patients were compared with 769 controls after adjustment for age, sex, weight, vaccination status and comorbidities. Of the 1493 patients, 648 had rheumatoid arthritis, 282 psoriatic arthritis, 173 ankylosing spondylitis, 122 systemic lupus erythematosus, 98 Sjogren's syndrome, 43 polymyalgia rheumatica, 34 mixed connective tissue disease or overlapping syndromes, 31 vasculitis, 27 systemic sclerosis, 18 myositis, 10 Behcet syndrome, 5 primary antiphospholipid syndrome and 2 had Familial Mediterranean Fever. The vast majority of patients and controls were fully vaccinated (82%) and 397 patients received antiviral treatment, 94% of them were fully vaccinated.ResultsCovid 19 disease in vaccinated patients with rheumatic diseases was shown to perform the same or about the same as those in the control group after adjustment for risk factors for severe disease. 19 of our patients required admission in the intensive care unit (62% full vaccinated) while a total of 12 died (66% non vaccinated). Major risk factors for severe disease were previous respiratory failure, chronic renal impairment, obesity, and failure to receive antiviral therapy. It was also shown that infection with Covid led to an exacerbation or induction of autoimmune disorders in 25 of the participants.ConclusionIn this large cohort, Covid 19 disease was shown to affect patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases the same or approximately the same way as the general population if they are fully vaccinated and if they start timely antiviral treatment where indicated. Further research and monitoring of the results after the multiple mutations of the virus is advisable.ReferencesNone.Acknowledgements:NIL.Disclosure of InterestsNone Declared.