Systemic sclerosis & Raynaud's
Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Health Care Access and Diagnosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Among Patients With Systemic Sclerosis
Authors' conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic-related disruption to health care for patients with SSc was associated with worse mental health and reduced screening and diagnosis of PAH, which may impact long-term outcomes.
Study context
- Population
- South Australian and Victorian patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) enrolled in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study38.5% response
- Participants
- 312 participants
- Exposure
- Victorian vs South Australian respondents; 2020 to 2022 vs 2011 to 2019
- Victorian = 203
- South Australian = 109reference
- Outcome
- Impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions on health care access, including screening for PAH
Methodological detailscomparison with pre-pandemic rates
- Comparison with pre-pandemic rates
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Reduced access to rheumatologist
49.3% vs 27.9%
P = 0.004
Victoria
Consultation by video
17.3% vs 2.1%
P = 0.008
Victoria
Health care disruption
49.0% vs 23.2%
P < 0.001
Victoria
- Consultations by telehealth
- 65.7%
- Telehealth consultations by telephone
- 81.2%
- Reduced access to pulmonary function tests (PFT)
- 31.7%
- Reduced access to TTE
- 22.5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Annual visits, PFT, TTE, and new diagnoses of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) were reduced in 2020 to 2022 compared with 2011 to 2019
Original publication
Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic on Health Care Access and Diagnosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Among Patients With Systemic Sclerosis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 14 December 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →