Objectives The impact of inflammatory rheumatic diseases on COVID-19 severity is poorly known. Here, we compare the outcomes of a cohort of patients with rheumatic diseases with a matched control cohort to identify potential risk factors for severe illness. Methods In this comparative cohort study, we identified hospital PCR+COVID-19 rheumatic patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis (IA) or connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Non-rheumatic controls were randomly sampled 1:1 and matched by age, sex and PCR date. The main outcome was severe COVID-19, defined as death, invasive ventilation, intensive care unit admission or serious complications. We assessed the association between the outcome and the potential prognostic variables, adjusted by COVID-19 treatment, using logistic regression. Results The cohorts were composed of 456 rheumatic and non-rheumatic patients, in equal numbers. Mean age was 63 (IQR 53–78) years and male sex 41% in both cohorts. Rheumatic diseases were IA (60%) and CTD (40%). Most patients (74%) had been hospitalised, and the risk of severe COVID-19 was 31.6% in the rheumatic and 28.1% in the non-rheumatic cohort. Ageing, male sex and previous comorbidity (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular or lung disease) increased the risk in the rheumatic cohort by bivariate analysis. In logistic regression analysis, independent factors associated with severe COVID-19 were increased age (OR 4.83; 95% CI 2.78 to 8.36), male sex (1.93; CI 1.21 to 3.07) and having a CTD (OR 1.82; CI 1.00 to 3.30). Conclusion In hospitalised patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, having a CTD but not IA nor previous immunosuppressive therapies was associated with severe COVID-19.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most serious complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of abatacept (ABA) in patients with ILD associated to RA. National multicenter, non-controlled, open-label registry study of RA patients with ILD treated with ABA. 63 patients (36 women) with RA-associated ILD undergoing ABA therapy were studied. The mean ± standard deviation age at the time of the study was 63.2 ± 9.8 years. The median duration of RA and ILD from diagnosis were 6.8 and 1 year, respectively. RA was seropositive in 55 patients (87.3%). In 15 (23.8%) of 63 patients the development of ILD was closely related to the administration of synthetic or biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. After a follow-up of 9.4 ± 3.2 months, two-thirds of patients remained stable whereas one-quarter experienced improvement in the Modified Medical Research Council scale. At that time forced vital capacity remained stable in almost two-thirds of patents and improved in one out of five patients assessed. Also, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide remained stable in almost two-thirds and showed improvement in a quarter of the patients assessed. At 12 months, 50% of the 22 patients in whom chest HRCT scan was performed due persistence of respiratory symptoms showed stabilization, 8 (36.4%) improvement and 3 worsening of the HRCT scan pattern. Eleven of 63 patients had to discontinue ABA, mainly due to adverse events. ABA appears to be an effective in RA-associated ILD.

Background The susceptibility of patients with rheumatic diseases and the risks or benefits of immunosuppressive therapies for COVID-19 are unknown. Methods We performed a retrospective study with patients under follow-up in rheumatology departments from seven hospitals in Spain. We matched updated databases of rheumatology patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-positive PCR tests performed in the hospital to the same reference populations. Rates of PCR+ confirmed COVID-19 were compared among groups. Results Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases had 1.32-fold higher prevalence of hospital PCR+ COVID-19 than the reference population (0.76% vs 0.58%). Patients with systemic autoimmune or immune-mediated disease (AI/IMID) showed a significant increase, whereas patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA) or systemic lupus erythematosus did not. COVID-19 cases in some but not all diagnostic groups had older ages than cases in the reference population. Patients with IA on targeted-synthetic or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but not those on conventional-synthetic DMARDs, had a greater prevalence despite a similar age distribution. Conclusion Patients with AI/IMID show a variable risk of hospital-diagnosed COVID-19. Interplay of ageing, therapies and disease-specific factors seem to contribute. These data provide a basis to improve preventive recommendations to rheumatic patients and to analyse the specific factors involved in COVID-19 susceptibility.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the worldwide incidence and prevalence of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods: A systematic search of Medline and Embase was conducted until June 2020 for studies that analyzed the incidence and prevalence of patients aged >16 years diagnosed with AAV in different geographical areas. A meta-analysis was undertaken to estimate the pooled incidence per million person-years and prevalence per million persons in AAV overall and for each subtype of AAV: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). The 95% confidence interval (CI) and I² for heterogeneity were calculated. Results: The meta-analysis included 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria and covered a total of 4547 patients with AAV. Frequency increased over time. The global pooled incidence (95% CI) was 17.2 per million person-years (13.3–21.6) and the global pooled prevalence (95% CI) was 198.0 per million persons (187.0–210.0). The pooled incidence per million person-years for each AAV subtype varied from highest to lowest, as follows: GPA, 9.0; MPA, 5.9; and EGPA, 1.7. The individual pooled prevalence per million persons was, as follows: GPA, 96.8; MPA, 39.2; and EGPA, 15.6. AAV was more predominant in the northern hemisphere. By continent, a higher incidence in America and pooled prevalence of AAV was observed in America and Europe. Conclusion: The pooled incidence and prevalence of AAV seem to be increasing over time and are higher in the case of GPA. AAV was generally more frequent (incidence and prevalence) in the northern hemisphere.

Objective This article estimates the incidence and fatality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identifies potential risk factors for fatality in patients with active epilepsy. Methods This is a cross-sectional observational study of patients with active epilepsy and COVID-19. A control group was used to compare the cumulative incidence and case-fatality rate (CFR). The main outcomes of the study were cumulative incidence, defined as number of patients with active epilepsy and COVID-19 admitted to an emergency department divided by the total number of patients with epilepsy at risk, and CFR based on the number of deaths during the enrollment period. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate risk factors for fatality in patients with active epilepsy. Results Of the 1,537 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 21 (1.3%) had active epilepsy. The cumulative incidence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of COVID-19 in patients with epilepsy was higher (1.2% [0.6–2.4]) compared to the population without epilepsy (0.5% [0.5–0.5]). In reverse transcription PCR–positive patients, there were no significant differences in CFR in patients with active epilepsy compared to patients without epilepsy (33.3% vs 8.3%; p = 0.266). Of the 21 patients with active epilepsy, 5 (23%) died. In multivariate analysis, the factor associated with fatality in patients with active epilepsy was hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 2.8 [95% CI 1.3–21.6]). In another model, age (OR 1.0 [95% CI 1.0–1.1]) and epilepsy (OR 5.1 [95% CI 1.3–24.0]) were associated with fatality during hospitalization. Conclusion COVID-19 cumulative incidence was higher in patients with active epilepsy. Epilepsy was associated with fatality during hospitalization. Hypertension was associated with fatality in patients with epilepsy.