RITUXIMAB ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE COVID-19 AMONG PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIDES: A 1-YEAR MULTICENTER STUDY IN 1116 SUCCESSIVE PATIENTS RECEIVING BIOLOGIC AGENTS
Abstract: OP0282
Authors: R. Felten et al.
OUTCOME OF COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASES TREATED WITH RITUXIMAB: DATA FROM DE FRENCH RMD COVID-19 COHORT
Abstract: OP0284
Authors: J. Avouac et al.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE SARS-COV-2 INFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATIC DISEASES IN MADRID: RESULTS FROM REUMA-COVID SORCOM REGISTRY
Abstract: POS1260
Authors: A. Boteanu et al.
Key content:
Several abstracts at the EULAR annual congress 2021 covered the topic of risk factors in patients with different inflammatory rheumatic diseases for severe COVID-19.
In abstract OP0282 a cohort from France of a total of 1116 patients receiving intravenous biologic agents were included: 449 with infliximab, 392 with RTX, 170 with tocilizumab and 105 with abatacept. From 1st September 2019 to 1st January 2021 10 cases of severe COVID-19 occurred, 9 treated with RTX and 1 with infliximab.
In abstract OP0284 an observational, multicentre, French national cohort study examined patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases who developed COVID-19. The primary endpoint was to assess the severity rate of COVID-19. Of the 1,090 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and COVID-19, 137 developed severe disease (12.6%). After adjusting for potential confounding factors (age, sex, arterial hypertension, diabetes, smoking status, body mass index, interstitial lung disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, corticosteroid use, chronic renal failure, and the underlying disease), severe disease was confirmed to be observed more frequently in patients receiving RTX compared to all RTX untreated patients.
In abstract POS1260 a Spanish group from Madrid determined factors associated with severity of infection with SARS-CoV-2 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). As of November 10, 2020, 417 patients with IRD were included in the REUMA-COVID SORCOM registry. 5 patients were discharged for incomplete data. Of 412 patients 174 needed hospitalization (42.2%) and 33 patients died (18.4% mortality in hospitalized patients). 82.3% had comorbidities. 234 (56.8%) patients were classified as inflammatory arthropathy, 133 (32.3%) had connective tissue diseases (CTD). 10.4% of patients had previously pulmonary involvement. Independent factors associated with COVID-19 hospitalization in the multivariate analysis were age (>62 years), male sex, BMI >30, previous cardiovascular comorbidities and IRD disease duration > 10 years. Independent factors associated with COVID-19 related death was age (> 62 years), having a CTD diagnosis, pulmonary involvement before infection, Rituximab and GC treatment >10 mg/day.
Relevance:
In patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases risk factors for severe COVID-19 and COVID-19 related death were older age, male sex, BMI >30, previous cardiovascular comorbidities, IRD disease duration (> 10 years), patients with connective tissue diseases and IRD with pulmonary involvement before infection. Treatment with Rituximab and GC >10 mg/day was also a risk factor for severe COVID-19. cDMARDs such as MTX, bDMARDs such as TNF inhibitors, abatacept, IL-6 and IL17 blocking agents and JAK inhibitors were not associated with severe COVID-19.
