Risk factors for severe COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases

Abstract

The aim – to study risk factors for severe COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases (RD).Patients and methods. The study included medical histories of 464 patients with RD who were admitted at the V.A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology from September 27, 2021 to April 26, 2023Results. Age over 60 years, hypertension, obesity, lung disease, chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, acute cerebrovascular accident or a history of pulmonary tuberculosis increase the risk of hospitalization in patients with RD with COVID-19 by 3–5 times. In addition, with an increase in the number of concomitant diseases, an increase in the risk of hospitalization was noted by 2–6 times. Taking glucocorticoids, including at a dose of ≥10 mg per day for prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab, leads to an increase risk of hospitalization by 1.5–4.5 times, while patients taking hydroxychloroquine or tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors was more often required outpatient treatment.Conclusions. It has been established that older age, the presence of comorbid pathology and the use of glucocorticoids, including at a dose of ≥10 mg per day for prednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab, are risk factors for severe COVID-19.

Keywords

• rheumatic diseases
• covid-19
• epidemiology
• risk factors
• rheumatoid arthritis
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• systemic sclerosis
• ankylosing spondylitis
• anca-associated vasculitis