Table 2

Details of rheumatic disease diagnosis and management at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis (N=143)

Characteristicn (%)
Rheumatic disease diagnosis
 Rheumatoid arthritis44 (31)
 Systemic lupus erythematosus27 (19)
 Psoriatic arthritis10 (7)
 Other inflammatory arthritis10 (7)
 Polymyalgia rheumatica8 (6)
 ANCA-associated vasculitis6 (4)
 Other vasculitis6 (4)
 Axial spondyloarthritis5 (4)
 Inflammatory myositis4 (3)
 Systemic sclerosis3 (2)
 Undifferentiated connective tissue disease3 (2)
 Sarcoidosis2 (1)
 Mixed connective tissue disease2 (1)
 Juvenile idiopathic arthritis2 (1)
 Kikuchi disease2 (1)
 Giant cell arteritis2 (1)
 Antiphospholipid syndrome1 (1)
 Sjögren’s syndrome1 (1)
 Multiple diagnoses*5 (4)
Rheumatic disease duration (years)
 <1 1 (1)
 1–427 (19)
 5–1027 (19)
 >1087 (61)
 Unknown1 (1)
Disease activity
 Active90 (63)
 Remission53 (37)
Baseline rheumatic disease medications
 Biologic DMARDs†41 (29)
  TNF inhibitor17 (12)
  IL-6 receptor inhibitor3 (2)
  B-cell activating factor inhibitor2 (1)
  CD20 inhibitor11 (8)
  IL-17 inhibitor3 (2)
  IL-12/IL-23 inhibitor1 (1)
  CTLA-4 immunoglobulin4 (3)
  C5 inhibitor1 (1)
 Targeted synthetic DMARDs (JAK inhibitors)4 (3)
 Conventional synthetic DMARDs‡44 (31)
  Leflunomide9 (7)
  Azathioprine6 (4)
  Methotrexate18 (13)
  Mycophenolate10 (7)
  Tacrolimus2 (1)
  Sulfasalazine1 (1)
  Cyclophosphamide1 (1)
 Hydroxychloroquine30 (21)
 Oral glucocorticoid51 (36)
  Prednisone-equivalent daily dose (median, IQR, mg)5 (5 to 10)
  • *‘Multiple diagnoses’ category includes patients with overlap features of multiple primary rheumatic diseases.

  • †One patient was on two biologic DMARDs (rituximab and eculizumab).

  • ‡Three patients were on multiple conventional synthetic DMARDs.

  • ANCA, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody; C5, complement component 5; CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; IL, interleukin; JAK, Janus kinase; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.