Key clinical point: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vs. general population remain at a higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severe outcomes; although COVID-19 vaccination has reduced severe outcomes, the risk for breakthrough infections is higher among patients with RA, supporting recent recommendations for booster COVID-19 vaccination.
Major finding: Unvaccinated patients with RA vs. general population were at an increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.11; 95% CI 1.00-1.24), COVID-19 hospitalization (aHR 1.62; 95% CI 1.34-1.96), and COVID-19 death (aHR 1.88; 95% CI 1.37-2.60). COVID-19 vaccination reduced disease severity but not the risk for breakthrough infection in patients with RA vs. general population over 9 months of follow-up (aHR1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.20).
Study details: Findings are from 2 cohort studies including patients with RA (unvaccinated n = 15,901; vaccinated n = 14,330) and non-RA individuals from general population (unvaccinated n = 1,558,423; vaccinated n = 1,208,659).
Disclosures: This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and other sources. ZS Wallace declared receiving research support and consulting fees from various sources unrelated to this work.
Source: Li H et al. Risk of COVID-19 among unvaccinated and vaccinated patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A general population study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) . 2022 (Sep 26). Doi: 10.1002/acr.25028