https://doi.org/10.4081/reumatismo.2023.1542
Trends in severe outcomes in SARS-CoV-2-positive hospitalized patients with rheumatic diseases: a monocentric observational and case-control study in northern Italy
Submitted: 20 December 2022
Accepted: 18 June 2023
Published: 17 July 2023
Accepted: 18 June 2023
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Rheumatic disease patients are at greater risk of infection due to their disease, comorbidities, and immunosuppressive therapy. COVID-19 outcomes in this patient setting appeared to be similar to those of the general population. However, data on this topic were mainly related to small studies on a limited number of patients. Consequently, to date, this field remains poorly explored, particularly in the pre-vaccine era. This monocentric study aimed to describe the intrahospital mortality in rheumatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 consecutively hospitalized from 21 February to 31 December 2020, before anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine administration spread, compared with non-rheumatic patients. Of 2491 included patients, 65 [3%, median (interquartile range) age 75 (64.76-82.239 years, 65% women] were suffering from rheumatic diseases. A total of 20 deaths were reported [case fatality rate 31%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 19-42] compared with 433 deaths (19%, 95% CI: 17-20) in patients without rheumatic diseases (p=0.024). However, the rheumatic disease was not associated with a significant increase in univariate mortality hazards (hazard ratio 1.374, 95% CI: 0.876-2.154), and after adjustment (hazard ratio 1.199, 95% CI: 0.759-1.894) by age, sex and Charlson comorbidity index. The incidence of intensive care unit admission, death, and discharge in the case-control study was comparable between rheumatic and non-rheumatic patients. The presence of rheumatic diseases in SARS-CoV-2-hospitalized patients did not represent an independent risk factor for severe disease or mortality.
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How to Cite
Ughi, N., Bernasconi, D., Gagliardi, C., Del Gaudio, F., Dicuonzo, A., Maloberti, A., Giannattasio, C., Rossetti, C., Valsecchi, M., & Epis, O. (2023). Trends in severe outcomes in SARS-CoV-2-positive hospitalized patients with rheumatic diseases: a monocentric observational and case-control study in northern Italy. Reumatismo, 75(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/reumatismo.2023.1542
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