Boosting Vaccine Response in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Patients With Inadequate Seroconversion: An Analysis of the Immunogenicity of Vector-Based and Inactivated Vaccines.

Background: An additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine is being offered to vaccinated people, especially those immunocompromised. The most widely available vaccines in India are the adenoviral vector-based AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) and the heat-inactivated (BBV152). This study investigated the efficacy of both vaccines in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRD).

Efficacy and safety of curcumin in maintaining remission during disease-modifying antirheumatic drug withdrawal in rheumatoid arthritis at 52 weeks: a phase III double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties but current evidence is limited to advocate its use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We explored whether curcumin could maintain remission in patients with RA while tapering conventional synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (csDMARD). In this patient-and investigator-blinded trial, adults with RA in sustained remission for more than six months were randomized to oral curcumin (1 g) with piperine (5 mg) twice daily or matching placebo.

Correlates of breakthrough Omicron (B.1.1.529) infections in a prospective cohort of vaccinated patients with rheumatic diseases.

Background: Data on the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the durability of protection against the prevalent Omicron variant are scarce, especially in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). Hence, we prospectively studied Omicron breakthrough infections in patients with AIRDs and attempted to isolate associated risk factors.

Methods: Patients with AIRDs who had completed primary vaccination with either AZD1222 or BBV152 vaccines were included and prospectively followed up from January 2022 onwards for the development of breakthrough Omicron infections.

Effects of the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases with hybrid immunity.

Patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases with a previous infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus have exaggerated responses to a single dose of COVID-19 vaccination as compared to fully vaccinated infection naive patients. The second dose is currently recommended at an extended gap after the infection, but the information available regarding response to the second dose in this subgroup is limited. Patients with AIRDs previously infected with COVID-19, who have received at least one dose of AZD1222/ChAdOx1 (n = 200) were included and stratified based on vaccine doses (V), and infection (I) into I + V, I + V + V, V + I, V + V + I.

Withholding methotrexate after vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCov19 in patients with rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis in India (MIVAC I and II): results of two, parallel, assessor-masked, randomised controlled trials.

Background: There is a necessity for an optimal COVID-19 vaccination strategy for vulnerable population groups, including people with autoimmune inflammatory arthritis on immunosuppressants such as methotrexate, which inhibit vaccine-induced immunity against SARS-CoV-2. Thus, we aimed to assess the effects of withholding methotrexate for 2 weeks after each dose of ChAdOx1 nCov-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) vaccine (MIVAC I) or only after the second dose of vaccine (MIVAC II) compared with continuation of methotrexate, in terms of post-vaccination antibody titres and disease flare rates.

Methods: MIVAC I and II were two parallel, independent, assessor-masked, randomised trials.

Effectiveness of delayed second dose of AZD1222 vaccine in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease.

There is paucity of data on extended dosing interval between two doses of AZD1222 (AstraZeneca) in patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (AIRD). We aimed to study the humoral response and rate of breakthrough infections between the two groups who had received the second dose of vaccine at 4 weeks (Group 1) and 10-14 weeks (Group 2). From established cohort [COVID-19 vaccination cohort from CARE(CVCC)] of vaccinated patients with AIRD, those who had received AZD1222 were included and divided into two groups.

Postvaccination antibody titres predict protection against COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune diseases: survival analysis in a prospective cohort.

Introduction: To assess the incidence and risk factors for breakthrough COVID-19 infection in a vaccinated cohort of patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) and determine whether antibodies to receptor binding domain of spike protein (anti-RBD) serve as a reliable predictor of susceptibility to such infections.

Methods: Patients with AIRDs who had completed two doses of SARS-CoV2 vaccines were included and anti-RBD antibodies were determined 4-6 weeks post the second vaccine dose and stratified into good responders (GR) (>212 IU), inadequate responders (IR) (0.8-212 IU) and non-responders (NR) (<0.

Effect of high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid on cancer patients following ketogenic diet.

Background: The role of ascorbic acid in cancer therapy is mainly due to its structural similarity with glucose. When supplemented intravenously in high dose, ascorbic acid can get into the cancer cells and induce apoptosis by causing mitochondrial damage.

Aim: The aim was to study the efficacy of high-dose intravenous (IV) ascorbic acid as monotherapy in cancer patients following ketogenic diet and its role in improving the quality of life.

Safety of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and the BBV152 vaccines in 724 patients with rheumatic diseases: a post-vaccination cross-sectional survey.

Patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal (RMD) diseases may be at higher risks for COVID-19 infection. Data on the safety of the adenoviral vector-borne ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and the heat-inactivated BBV152 Vaccines in this group are limited. 724 patients with RMD who had received at least one dose of either the ChAdOx1 or the BBV152 were audited to find out post-vaccination adverse effect (AE) or disease flares.

Switching to teleconsultation for rheumatology in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic: feasibility and patient response in India.

The emergent COVID-19 pandemic dictates an urgent switch to teleconsultation. India has high patient to rheumatologist ratio, and patients have limited concepts about telemedicine. Thus, we attempted to find the feasibility and acceptance of patients in switching to teleconsultation.