Characteristics associated with Covid-19 in patients with Rheumatic Disease in Latin America: data from the Covid-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registry

Abstract

Objective: To compare the characteristics of patients with rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 reported from Latin American countries with those from the rest of the world. Methods: Patients from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Physician-Reported Registry were included. Details regarding demographics, rheumatic disease features, comorbidities, COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, and outcomes were examined. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to compare associations between groups (Latin America vs. rest of the world). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of hospitalization (yes/no) and ventilatory support (not hospitalized or supplementary oxygen only vs. non-invasive, invasive ventilation, or ECMO); Poisson models were used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs of mortality. Results: Seventy-four patients from Latin America and 583 patients from the rest of the world were included. The most frequent rheumatic diseases in both groups were rheumatoid arthritis (35% and 39%, respectively) and systemic lupus erythematosus (22% and 14% respectively). Mortality was similar between groups (12% Latin America vs 11% rest of the world, p=0.88. However, Latin American patients in the registry had a higher odds of requiring non-invasive or invasive ventilation, after adjustment [OR= 2.29, 95%CI (1.29, 4.07), p less than 0.01].. Conclusion: Latin American patients with rheumatic disease and COVID-19 reported to this global registry presented a higher need for ventilatory support, however experienced a similar mortality than patients from the rest of the world.

High levels of immunosuppression are related to unfavourable outcomes in hospitalised patients with rheumatic diseases and COVID-19: first results of ReumaCoV Brasil registry

“…In the 74 Latin American patients with rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 reported from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Physician-Reported Registry there were more RA patients (35%) than SLE patients (22%), while in our sample the proportion of SLE patients (32,9%) was greater than the RA (28,4%). 47 …”

Does the Use of Immunosuppressive Drugs Impact on SARS-CoV-2 Infection Outcome? Data From A National Cohort of Patients With Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (SAR-COVID Registry)

“…In this Brazilian cohort, the use of oral glucocorticoids, pulse therapy with methylprednisolone, or cyclophosphamide for IMIDs treatment was associated with ICU admission, and particularly these last 2 were also associated with increased risk of death. On the other hand, patients with IMIDs from Latin America included in the international GRA registry 29 presented a higher frequency of hospitalization (61%), complications (38%), requirement of invasive mechanical ventilation (20%), and mortality (12%). It should be noted that the frequency of glucocorticoid use was higher in this group (51% vs 39.5%), which was associated in our cohort with poorer outcomes.…”

COVID-19 and Rheumatic Diseases: It Is Time to Better Understand This Association

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