No abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency that is causing international concern. Patients with medical comorbidities are more likely to be infected and have a worse prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety due to COVID-19 pandemic in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) who used immunosuppressive drugs during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the risk and protective factors that cause anxiety.Methods: A total of 145 patients with RMDs aged ≥18 years who used regular immunosuppressive drugs and 95 healthy controls were included in the study. An anonymous survey comprising questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic was used, and the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) was used to measure the anxiety levels of participants. Additional information was collected such as demographic data, current RMDs, immunosuppressive drugs used, information and concerns about COVID-19, and the source of information about COVID-19.Results: About 42.1% patients reported that the epidemic caused concern due to the drug they were using, and 33.8% rated their concerns as moderate and severe. The BAI scores of patients and healthy controls were 4 (0-52) and 3 (0-18) respectively. According to the BAI scores, 16.5% patients had moderate to severe anxiety symptoms; and comparison of the groups showed that the anxiety level of the patient group was significantly higher (38.6% vs. 18.9%, p=0.001). Female had more anxiety symptoms in both groups (p<0.005). In addition, anxiety was lower in patients with higher education levels (p=0.039).Conclusion: It should be ensured that patients in the high-risk group are not provided false information, the patients are individually informed, and they trust the treatment team. Providing online or smartphone-based psychoeducation and psychological interventions may be considered for these patients with high anxiety levels.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency that is causing international concern. Patients with medical comorbidities are more likely to be infected and have a worse prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety due to COVID-19 pandemic in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) who used immunosuppressive drugs during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the risk and protective factors that cause anxiety.Methods: A total of 145 patients with RMDs aged ≥18 years who used regular immunosuppressive drugs and 95 healthy controls were included in the study. An anonymous survey comprising questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic was used, and the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) was used to measure the anxiety levels of participants. Additional information was collected such as demographic data, current RMDs, immunosuppressive drugs used, information and concerns about COVID-19, and the source of information about COVID-19.Results: About 42.1% patients reported that the epidemic caused concern due to the drug they were using, and 33.8% rated their concerns as moderate and severe. The BAI scores of patients and healthy controls were 4 (0-52) and 3 (0-18) respectively. According to the BAI scores, 16.5% patients had moderate to severe anxiety symptoms; and comparison of the groups showed that the anxiety level of the patient group was significantly higher (38.6% vs. 18.9%, p=0.001). Female had more anxiety symptoms in both groups (p<0.005). In addition, anxiety was lower in patients with higher education levels (p=0.039).Conclusion: It should be ensured that patients in the high-risk group are not provided false information, the patients are individually informed, and they trust the treatment team. Providing online or smartphone-based psychoeducation and psychological interventions may be considered for these patients with high anxiety levels.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a pathophysiological disorder that may involve multiple clinical conditions and complicate most systemic diseases. Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), represents the leading cause of connective tissue disease (CTD) associated with PAH. Although SSc is a rare disease, it is associated with higher morbidity and early mortality than other rheumatological diseases due to developing SSc-associated interstitial pulmonary disease (ILD) and/or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The impact of the early diagnosis on the prognosis is evident. In this context, in our study, we aimed to investigate the early changes in pulmonary vascular bed by measuring pulmonary arterial stiffness (PAS) in SSc patients without overt PAH. Sixty-two SSc patients and fty-eight gender and agematched, healthy subjects enrolled in this cross-sectional observational study. SSc patients were evaluated in terms of disease duration and severity. Modi ed Rodnan skin score (mRSS) was calculated as disease severity index. Echocardiographic parameters were assessed and compared to the control group. Right Ventricular (RV) diameters, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), and right ventricle myocardial performance index (RV-MPI) were signi cantly higher in the SSc group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and right ventricular fractional area change (RV-FAC) were signi cantly lower in the SSc group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). PAS value (25.5 ± 9.2 kHz/ms vs. 18.1 ± 7.4 kHz/ms, p <0.001) was signi cantly higher in the SSc group than in the control group. A statistically signi cant positive correlation relationship was detected between the PAS value and CRP, ESR, disease duration, mRSS. According to these results, in SSc patients, PAS as an inexpensive and easily applicable echocardiographic method might serve as a marker of early detection of PAH.