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Correspondence
Comment on ‘Characteristics associated with hospitalisation for COVID-19 in people with rheumatic disease: data from the COVID-19 global rheumatology alliance physician-reported registry’ by Gianfrancesco M et al
  1. Ioana Andreica1,2,
  2. David Kiefer1,2,
  3. Guenther A Rezniczek3,
  4. Robert Jast1,2,
  5. Bjoern Buehring1,2,
  6. Uta Kiltz1,2,
  7. Xenofon Baraliakos1,2,
  8. Juergen Braun1,2
  1. 1 Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
  2. 2 Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
  3. 3 Marien Hospital Herne Academic Teaching Hospital of the University Bochum, Herne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
  1. Correspondence to Dr Juergen Braun, Rheumatology, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne 44649, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany; j.braun{at}rheumazentrum-ruhrgebiet.de

https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-218609

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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 …

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