Key clinical point: Compared with the general population, the risk for COVID-19 was significantly higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but not in those with osteoarthritis, supporting recommendations for booster vaccines and priority access to anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody treatment for patients with RA.
Major finding: Compared with the general population, the risk for suspected/confirmed COVID-19 was significantly higher in patients with RA (hazard ratio [HR] 1.19; 95% CI 1.04-1.36) but not in patients with osteoarthritis (HR 1.00; 95% CI 0.93-1.07).
Study details: This was a cohort analysis that compared the risk for COVID-19 among 17,268 patients with RA and 1,616,600 participants from the general population.
Disclosures: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Project Program of National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders (Xiangya Hospital), and others. No conflict of interests was reported.
Source: Wang Y et al. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 (Dec 7). Doi: 10.1002/acr.24831.