Risk of severe COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases treated with immunosuppressive therapy in Scotland
Authors' conclusion
The risk of hospitalized COVID-19 is elevated in IRD patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs compared with the general population. Of these drugs, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, and TNF inhibitors carry the lowest risk. The highest risk is associated with prednisolone.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) on immunosuppressive drugs in Scotland; 4633 on targeted (biological or targeted synthetic) DMARDs in March 2020
- Participants
- 4,633 on targeted DMARDs
- Comparison
- DMARD treatment vs population not on DMARDs
- Outcome
- Hospitalized COVID-19
- Follow-up
- By 22 November 2021
Methodological detailslinked to a population case-control study of all COVID-19 cases in Scotland
- Linked to a population case-control study of all COVID-19 cases in Scotland
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Each group vs not on DMARDsRate ratio (95% CI)
csDMARDs
2.14(2.02–2.26)
TNF inhibitors
2.01(1.38–2.91)
Other targeted DMARDs
3.83(2.65–5.56)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Rate ratio (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalized COVID-19 within csDMARDs (subgroup)Methotrexatevs Not on DMARDsLowest | 1.66 (1.51–1.82) | |
| Hospitalized COVID-19 within csDMARDs (subgroup)GC >10 mg/day prednisolone equivalentvs Not on DMARDsHighest | 5.4 (4.4–6.7) | |
| 0.10.31310Rate ratio (log scale) |
COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalization among patients on targeted DMARDs · By 22 November 2021
- Diagnosed with COVID-19 (of 4633)
- 433
- Hospitalized
- 58
Original publication
Risk of severe COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases treated with immunosuppressive therapy in Scotland. Scand J Rheumatol. Published 12 May 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →