COVID-19 in rheumatoid arthritis: prevalence, hospital admission, and risk of all-cause mortality before and after COVID-19 pandemic
Authors' conclusion
COVID-19 was higher in females, younger patients, those with comorbidities, and those using advanced therapies. Compared to pre-pandemic, higher death rates during the pandemic were associated with older age, oral steroid use, smoking, and higher disease activity.
Study context
- Population
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from the Ontario Best Practices Research Initiative (OBRI) linked to Ontario healthcare records (Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES)), January 1st 2020 to March 31st 2022
- Participants
- 2,969 patients
- Exposure
- RA patients with vs without COVID-19; all-cause mortality before vs after the pandemic
- COVID-19n = 596
- Outcome
- COVID-19 prevalence, hospitalisation, ED visits, and impact of RA treatment and baseline characteristics on mortality
Methodological detailslinked registry and administrative healthcare data
- Linked registry and administrative healthcare data
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
COVID-19
20.1%
596
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Female sex and COVID-19 infection (81.9% vs. 76.5%)
| aOR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Females | 1.30 (1.01–1.66) | |
| 0.512Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
Biologic use and COVID-19 (52.5% vs. 46.1%)
| aOR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Biologics | 1.28 (1.04–1.57) | |
| 0.512Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi) use and COVID-19 (13.4% vs. 9.5%)
| aOR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| JAKi | 1.44 (1.08–1.93) | |
| 0.512Adjusted odds ratio (log scale) |
All-cause mortality, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic
| aHR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Older age (>80 years)Stronger associations after the pandemic | 10.9 (6.49–18.2) | |
| SmokingStronger associations after the pandemic | 1.85 (1.41–2.42) | |
| Higher disease activity scoreStronger associations after the pandemic | 1.09 (1.00–1.18) | |
| 0.050.21520Adjusted hazard ratio (log scale) |
All-cause mortality before the pandemic, JAKi
| aHR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| JAKi | 0.55 (0.34–0.91) | |
| 0.20.5125Adjusted hazard ratio (log scale) |
Hospitalised or visited emergency department (ED), among those with COVID-19
- Hospitalised or visited ED
- 108 (18.1%)
Original publication
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →