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- Title
Concerns, Healthcare Use, and Treatment Interruptions in Patients With Common Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
- Authors
George, Michael D.; Venkatachalam, Shilpa; Banerjee, Shubhasree; Baker, Joshua F.; Merkel, Peter A.; Gavigan, Kelly; Curtis, David; Danila, Maria I.; Curtis, Jeffrey R.; Nowell, W. Benjamin
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>To assess concerns and healthcare-related behaviors of patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.<bold>Methods: </bold>Adults from the United States with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the ArthritisPower Patient-Powered Research Network and CreakyJoints patient community completed surveys. Concerns and behaviors were compared among patients with different autoimmune conditions, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) use, and geographic measures of urban status, income, education, and COVID-19 activity.<bold>Results: </bold>Among 1517 participants (925 RA, 299 PsA, 185 AS, 108 SLE), mean age was 55.1 years, 88.3% were female, and 89.5% were White. COVID-19 concerns were similar across the country and were higher in biologic users (P < 0.001). Avoidance of doctor's office visits (56.6%) or laboratory testing (42.3%) and use of telehealth (29.5%) were more common in urban areas. Among participants receiving a DMARD without COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, 14.9% stopped a DMARD, with 78.7% of DMARD interruptions not recommended by a physician. DMARD stopping was more common in participants with lower socioeconomic status (SES) and in participants who avoided an office visit (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04-2.04) or reported lack of telehealth availability OR 2.26 (95% CI 1.25-4.08).<bold>Conclusion: </bold>In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with RA, PsA, AS, and SLE frequently avoided office visits and laboratory testing. DMARD interruptions commonly occurred without the advice of a physician and were associated with SES, office visits, and telehealth availability, highlighting the need for adequate healthcare access and attention to vulnerable populations during the pandemic.
- Subjects
AUTOIMMUNE diseases; RHEUMATISM treatment; COVID-19 pandemic; ANKYLOSING spondylitis; SYSTEMIC lupus erythematosus
- Publication
Journal of Rheumatology, 2021, Vol 48, Issue 4, p603
- ISSN
0315-162X
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.3899/jrheum.201017