A population-based analysis of rheumatology care patterns for inflammatory arthritis during COVID-19 in Alberta, Canada
Study context
- Population
- Incident cohort with inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)) seen at least once by a rheumatologist, Alberta, Canada, 2011–2022
- Exposure
- RA vs AS vs PsA
- Outcome
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IA rheumatology care: incidence rates per 100,000 population and patterns of follow-up care
Methodological detailslinked provincial health administrative datasets, incident cohort, multivariable logistic regression
- Linked provincial health administrative datasets
- Incident cohort
- Multivariable logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incidence rate in 2020
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incidence rate in 2021
Incidence rate in 2021
- In 2021 incidence rates (IRs) rose
Lost to follow-up during the pandemic (diagnosed within 5 years of the pandemic)
- Lost to follow-up
- 632 (6.0 %)
- Characteristics of those lost to follow-up differed between inflammatory arthritis (IA) types
Virtual visit followed within 30 days by in-person follow-up
- Individuals with ≥1 virtual visit followed within 30 days by in-person visit
- 1444
- Males (less common), OR
- 0.69-0.79
- Higher frequency of physician visits before the pandemic (more common), OR
- 1.27-1.32
Original publication
A population-based analysis of rheumatology care patterns for inflammatory arthritis during COVID-19 in Alberta, Canada. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 11 January 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →