IMPACT OF VACCINATION ON POST-ACUTE SEQUELAE OF SARS COV-2 INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES.
Abstract: 0794
Authors: Naomi Patel et al.
Key content:
The authors explored the impact of a full COVID-19 vaccination on the risk of ‘long COVID’ or ‘post-acute sequelae of COVID-19’ (PASC). These American researchers compared the proportions of patients with PASC with and without prior vaccination among patients with rheumatic autoimmune diseases who developed a symptomatic COVID-19. Patients were comprised of rheumatoid arthritis (59%), connective tissue disease (23%) and other systemic autoimmune conditions, and were treated with methotrexate (22%), anti-TNF (21%), hydroxychloroquine (19%) and other b-csDMARDs. One month after a symptomatic COVID-19, non-vaccinated patients had numerically higher rates of PASC compared then fully vaccinated patients (47% versus 39%). The non-vaccinated patients also tended to have more often persistent lower airway symptoms, then fully vaccinated patients.
Relevance:
As Swiss rheumatologists have to re-encourage immunosuppressed patients to get yet another booster of the COVID-19 vaccine, the findings of this work provide another good argument for vaccination. Beyond reducing the severity of acute COVID-19 infection, the vaccine may also reduce the risk of ‘long COVID’ or ‘post-acute sequelae of COVID-19’, which often constitutes a debilitating and long-lasting state.
