Adoption rates of recommended vaccines and influencing factors among patients with inflammatory arthritis: a patient survey.

To determine the scope of recommended vaccination uptake among patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) receiving biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic agents (bDMARDs and tsDMARDs, respectively) and to determine factors, which influence their decision and are subject to modification. A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted including patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) on bDMARDs or tsDMARDs. Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical parameters were analyzed. Disease activity was determined using the validated indices DAS28-CRP and CDAI for RA and peripheral PsA, whereas BASDAI and ASDAS for AS and axial PsA. Patients completed a questionnaire with predefined response options assessing their vaccination status and attitudes about receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. A total of 201 patients with inflammatory joint diseases were included in the study, with a mean age of 54.6 (± 8.6) years and a disease duration of 11 (± 14.4) years. More than one-third of the study group had received full vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, with the majority (68.1%) receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine. The proportion of patients who had received recommended pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and regular reimmunizations against diphtheria and tetanus was low, with only 13.9% (n = 28), 1.5% (n = 3), and 44.8% (n = 90), respectively. Patients who had a preceding discussions with a rheumatologist were more likely to get vaccinated. Considering the suboptimal vaccination rates and the prevalent uncertainty among individuals with IA in Bulgaria, there is an urgent need to devise novel strategies to promote vaccination uptake and enhance patient awareness. These strategies aim to educate patients about their autoimmune condition, as well as emphasize the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

COVID-19 related liver injuries in pregnancy.

While severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) quickly spread across the globe, our understanding of its pathogenic mechanisms evolved. Importantly, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is now considered a syndromic multisystem inflammatory disease involving not only the respiratory system but also the cardiovascular, excretory, nervous, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal systems. Moreover, a membrane-bound form of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2, is expressed on the surface of cholangiocytes and hepatocytes, suggesting the potential of COVID-19 to involve the liver. With the widespread distribution of SARS-CoV-2 throughout the population, infection during pregnancy is no longer a rare occurrence; however, little is known about the course of hepatic injuries and related outcomes in pregnant SARS-CoV-2-positive women. Thus, the understudied topic of COVID-related liver disease during pregnancy poses a great challenge for the consulting gynecologist and hepatologist. In this review, we aim to describe and summarize potential liver injuries in pregnant women with COVID-19.