Objective: To determine health perceptions of patients with rheumatic diseases in the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Methods: Rheumatology patients at a single center received via text message the Australian Rheumatology Association COVID-19 information sheet and an invitation to participate in a deidentified survey. Patient concerns regarding risks conferred by their rheumatologic disease or medications, impact of receiving the information sheet on the likelihood of staying on medication, and acceptance of telehealth were ascertained.
Results: A total of 2,630 patients received the text message, and the survey response rate was 21% (n = 550). The mean ± SD age of the participants was 52 ± 15.2 years, and 75.3% were female. Participants' highest ranked concern was that their medications would increase the severity of their COVID-19 symptoms (76.1%). The highest levels of concern were seen in patients taking combination conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or a biologic/targeted synthetic DMARD. There was no association between prednisolone dose and concern. While 63% of patients planned to continue their antirheumatic medications, a further 30% were more likely to continue taking their medications because of receiving the information. Telehealth was acceptable to 98.4% of patients, but 28.1% felt this was only appropriate while infection control measures were in place.
Conclusion: Concerns regarding the risk of COVID-19 among patients taking antirheumatic drugs are common. Proactive dissemination of information is needed to address misconceptions related to medication risk, improve medication adherence, and minimize the risk of flares. Telehealth is acceptable to most patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7300883 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acr.24347 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Opportunities and limitations of B cell depletion approaches in SLE.
Nat Rev Rheumatol
January 2025
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
B cell depletion with rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody that selectively targets B cells by binding CD20, has been used off label in severe and resistant systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for over two decades. Several biological mechanisms limit the efficacy of rituximab, including immunological reactions towards the chimeric molecule, increased numbers of residual B cells, including plasmablasts and plasma cells, and a post-treatment surge in B cell-activating factor (BAFF) levels. Consequently, rituximab induces remission in only a proportion of patients, and safety issues limit its use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVEGFA, MYC, and JUN are abnormally elevated in the synovial tissue of patients with advanced osteoarthritis.
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, China.
Osteoarthritis (OA), affecting > 500 million people worldwide, profoundly affects the quality of life and ability to work. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway plays an essential role in OA. To address the lack of studies focused on synovial cells in OA, we evaluated the expression patterns and roles of the MAPK signaling pathway components in OA synovial tissues using bioinformatics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociation between patient perception of disease status and different components of the Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) criteria in psoriatic arthritis.
J Rheumatol
January 2025
Laura C Coates BM BCh PhD, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Objective: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the relationship between the criteria met of the Minimal Disease Activity (MDA) score for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and patient-perceived disease status.
Methods: We analysed data from the ReFlaP study (NCT03119805), a cross-sectional international study of adult patients with PsA. Patients self-reported if they felt their PsA was in remission (REM), low disease activity (LDA) or neither.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire: A Novel Patient Reported Outcome for Skin Disease in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.
J Rheumatol
January 2025
Jessica K. Gordon, Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City, NY; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, NY.
Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire (SSQ), a novel patient-reported outcome (PRO) to assess systemic sclerosis (SSc) related skin symptoms.
Methods: The SSQ was administered to 799 adults (mean age 52.7; 82% female) enrolled in the SSc Collaborative National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER).
Association between abatacept exposure levels and infection occurrence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: post hoc analysis of the AVERT-2 study.
J Rheumatol
January 2025
Dr Daphne Williams, PharmD, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Objective: To determine if higher serum exposure during subcutaneous (SC) abatacept treatment was associated with an increased infection risk in adult patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Data from AVERT-2 (Assessing Very Early Rheumatoid arthritis Treatment-2, NCT02504268), a randomized, placebo-controlled study in anticitrullinated protein antibody- positive patients with early RA, were analyzed. A post hoc population pharmacokinetic (PPK) analysis was performed.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!