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We read with interest the publication on COVID-19 outcomes related to hospitalisation of people with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) by Gianfrancesco et al.1 In our centre, we have taken a different approach by contacting 1495 patients with CIRD by telephone to ask for COVID-19 tests and symptoms. A total of 917 patients who agreed to participate (61%) was interviewed between 15 April and 15 June 2020: about 60% women, mean age 54, mean disease duration 12 years. Most had spondyloarthritis (SpA) including psoriatic arthritis (51%), 41% rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 7% connective tissue diseases (CTD), mainly lupus. In RA, rheumatoid factor was found in 88%, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) in 77% and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B27 in 73% of patients with axSpA, while 92% with CTD had antinuclear antibodies. Less than half of patients were vaccinated against pneumococci (43%) and influenca (47%).
The German government started a national shutdown on 22 March 2020. To give some guidance to rheumatologists, the German Society of Rheumatology (DGRh) released recommendations on 29 April 2020.2 Our survey started about 2 weeks earlier.
The care of our patients with CIRD is largely based on the ‘treat to …
Footnotes
Contributors All authors have participated in the study to the conception or design of the work, acquisition, analysis or interpretation of cases and subsequent revision of the manuscript.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Patient and public involvement Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, or conduct, or reporting, or dissemination plans of this research.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.