Background Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a routine hematologic parameter that is a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and is independent of combined traditional risk factor scoring systems. The RDW has also been associated with rheumatic disease activity. Whether RDW is associated with traditional CVD risk factors or Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) 10-year CVD risk score in patients with seronegative spondyloarthritis with axial or peripheral disease has not been previously determined. Methods We performed a retrospective, chart review study evaluating the relationship between RDW, albumin, hemoglobin, C-reactive protein (CRP), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), and ASCVD scoring parameters [age, hypertension status, diabetes mellitus (DM) status, lipid profile, and smoking status] in a cohort of spondyloarthritis patients, taking into consideration their HLA-B27 status, race, and treatment status. Results RDW was found to positively correlate with ASCVD 10-year score and age, and ASCVD score did not change over time after patients were treated for spondyloarthritis. Albumin was found to negatively correlate with ASCVD 10-year risk score. Both RDW and albumin correlated with CRP. ALC failed to correlate with ASCVD 10-year score but did show a tendency to be associated with CVD, CVD events, and cardiac conduction abnormalities. Conclusions These data indicate that further study is warranted to evaluate RDW, albumin level, and ALC as potential predictors of CVD in the spondyloarthritis patient population.

ObjectiveMorbidity and mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is partly mitigated by maintaining immune and hematologic homeostasis. Identification of those at risk is challenging. Red cell distribution width (RDW) and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) associate with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in the general population, and with disease activity in RA. How these parameters relate to inflammation and mortality in RA were investigated.MethodsIn a retrospective single VA-Rheumatology Clinic cohort of 327 RA patients treated with methotrexate (MTX)+/-TNF-blocker we evaluated RDW and ALC before and during therapy, and in relation to subsequent mortality. Findings were validated in a national VA cohort (n=13,914). In a subset of patients and controls we evaluated inflammatory markers.ResultsIn the local cohort, High RDW and Low ALC prior to MTX treatment each associated with subsequent mortality over 10 years (p<0.001 and p=0.004). The highest mortality was observed in those with both high-RDW and low ALC. This remained after adjusting for age and co-morbidities, and was validated in the national RA cohort. In the immunology cohort, soluble and cellular inflammatory markers were higher in RA than controls, ALC correlated with plasma TNFR2, NK/Monocyte-HLADR-MFI, and CD4CM/CD8CMHLADR/CD38%, while RDW associated with CD4%/CD8% and CD4EM/CD4TE HLADR/CD38%. MTX initiation was followed by an increase in RDW and decrease in ALC. TNF-blocker therapy added to MTX resulted in an increase in ALC.ConclusionRDW and ALC before DMARD therapy associate with biomarkers of monocyte/macrophage inflammation and subsequent mortality. Mechanistic linkage between TNF signaling and lymphopenia here warrants further investigation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a prime health issue since December 2019. Consequently, there has been an urgent need to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its associated morbidity and mortality. The currently available vaccines are designed to prevent infection. Their efficacy and safety have been demonstrated in clinical trials. Yet, given the short duration of the trials and the urgency to start vaccination, adverse events have been reported worldwide in real-life data format. Immune-mediated disease flares or new-onset inflammatory diseases following vaccine administration have recently been reported worldwide. Here, we present three cases of inflammatory arthritis (IA) caused by the BNT162b2 COVID vaccination, including two new-onset cases and one case of a flare of existing disease. The first case is new-onset IA, the second case is new-onset rheumatoid arthritis, and the third case is a flare of existing rheumatoid arthritis.Given the timeline of when our patients developed either a flare of their existing rheumatoid arthritis or new-onset IA or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) (a few days after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine), in addition to the currently available evidence of documented similar cases post administration of mRNA vaccines, as well as the link between their mechanism of action and the pathogenesis of those diseases, we can speculate a causal relationship between the vaccine and the triggering of these disease entities. In the future, it is important to consider that autoimmune diseases might be triggered or flared by the administration of vaccines, which appears to be associated with the COVID vaccine as well. Further evaluation of its incidence will provide additional clarity, though the rarity of this occurrence in the setting of more than half of the US population becoming vaccinated indicates that the benefit of the vaccine in terms of protection from COVID morbidity and mortality far outweighs this risk.

Background: Declining COVID-19 vaccination rates have led to implementation of monetary incentives to increase vaccine uptake. The Ohio Vax-a-Million lottery and subsequent $100 incentives were created to encourage individuals to become vaccinated. The purpose of this survey was to determine the efficacy of these monetary incentives on vaccination rates.Methods: A 38-item questionnaire was given to outpatients at MetroHealth and Cleveland Veteran Affairs Hospitals between August 2021 and February 2022 who either waited 2 or more months to receive the COVID-19 vaccination or have not yet been vaccinated. The survey contained questions regarding demographics and perceptions of COVID-19 monetary incentives on vaccination likelihood.Results: Of the 471 participants surveyed, 0.95% reported that the Ohio Vax-a-Million lottery increased their vaccination likelihood, while 29.7% reported that it decreased their likelihood. 6.8% of respondents reported the $100 incentive increased their vaccination likelihood while 17.4% reported it decreased their vaccination chances. 20.6% of participants stated news of the Delta (d ) variant increased their vaccination likelihood.Conclusion: Our study results suggest that monetary incentives were not associated with increased COVID-19 vaccination rates. Instead, more participants believed that these incentives decreased their vaccination likelihood. Expansion of the survey across a wider sociodemographic range can provide further evidence of the efficacy of these programs before reimplementation.