Early experience of COVID-19 vaccination in adults with systemic rheumatic diseases: results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Vaccine Survey

A case of ulcerative colitis in a patient undergoing surgery due to exacerbation resulting in toxic megacolon after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination

We herein report a case involving a patient with quiescent ulcerative colitis (UC) in long-term clinical remission whose condition rapidly worsened after receiving a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination, leading to colectomy due to toxic megacolon. The patient received the fifth dose of the Spikevax (mRNA-1273) vaccine and experienced a severe flare-up of UC 6 days later. Pathologic findings of the surgical specimens were consistent with severe active UC concomitant with cytomegalovirus infection. Because mRNA vaccines stimulate both humoral and cellular immunogenicity, it is important to note that they can be a triggering factor for the relapse of UC.

Flares of Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease Following Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination: A Narrative Review

This narrative review summarizes current evidence on the risk of systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) flare following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination. The authors detail key studies in the literature employing diverse methodologies, including cross-sectional surveys, prospective and retrospective cohorts, case-crossover designs, self-controlled case series, and systematic reviews. Data are reassuring, suggesting that vaccination is unlikely to increase the risk of flares across a range of SARD. When postvaccination flares do occur, individuals with high disease activity and frequent flares at baseline may be at higher risk. Rheumatologists may consider discussing these findings with patients during collaborative conversations about risks and benefits of vaccination.

Long-term antibody responses to COVAXIN and COVISHIELD vaccines in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy control population - A cross-sectional study

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage in the joints. It often requires treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to manage symptoms and prevent progression. The study investigates the long-term antibody responses to COVAXIN and COVISHIELD vaccines in RA patients.

Methodology

This cross-sectional study (IEC approval no: AlIMS/BBN/IEC/AUG/2021/60-R dated Sept 05, 2022, and Ref No: 799/U/IEC/ESICMC/F490/09/2022 dated Oct 31, 2022) enrolled 103 diagnosed RA patients receiving DMARDs and 183 healthy controls. The participants who completed 1 year after the second dose of vaccination were included, and detailed information on demographic, medical, and vaccination were collected. Laboratory investigations included complete blood count, inflammatory markers, and antispike antibody levels. Statistical analyses assessed differences between COVAXIN and COVISHIELD subgroups, considering DMARDs usage and disease duration.

Results

Among RA patients, both COVAXIN and COVISHIELD groups exhibited low disease activity. No significant (P > 0.05) differences were found in IL-6, CRP, or antispike antibody levels between COVAXIN and COVISHIELD subgroups in RA patients and healthy controls. Notably, 89% of female RA patients received COVISHIELD. Co-morbidities, including hypothyroidism (44%), were prevalent in COVISHIELD-received RA patients. Antibody concentration varied significantly among DMARDs usage groups in COVAXIN-vaccinated RA patients, with a notable difference between three-drug and HCQ-alone regimens. However, no such difference was observed in the COVISHIELD group. Disease duration did not significantly impact antispike antibody concentration in either of the vaccination group.

Conclusion

RA patients had a decreased antibody response, 1 year after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Nonetheless, there was no discernible difference in the antispike antibody concentration between the COVISHIELD and COVAXIN vaccination groups. Additionally, immunosuppressive medications significantly impact serological responses to these vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccination-related delayed adverse events among people with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the international COVAD survey

This study aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccination-related AEs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD)-2 study. An online international cross-sectional survey captured self-reported data on COVID-19 vaccination-related adverse events (AEs) in people with RA, autoimmune diseases (AIDs; rheumatic [r] and non-rheumatic [nr]) and healthy controls (HCs). The survey was circulated by the COVAD study group, comprising 157 collaborators across 106 countries, from February to June 2022. Delayed AEs among RA were compared with other rAIDs, nrAIDs and HCs using multivariable binary regression. A total of 7203 participants were included (1423 [19.7%] RA, 2620 [36.4%] rAIDs, 426 [5.9%] nrAIDs, 2734 [38%] HCs), with 75% female. Compared to HCs, individuals with RA reported higher overall major AEs [OR 1.3 (1.0-1.7)], and an increased number of several minor AEs. Compared to nrAIDs, people with RA had several increased reported minor AEs including myalgia and joint pain. People with active RA had increased major AEs [OR 1.8 (1.1-3.0)] and hospitalisation [OR 4.1 (1.3 - 13.3)] compared to inactive RA. RA patients without autoimmune comorbidities had significantly fewer major and minor AEs than those with other rAIDs. A decreased incidence of hospitalisation was seen in patients taking methotrexate or TNF inhibitors compared to patients not taking these medications. COVID-19 vaccination is associated with minimal to no risks of delayed AEs in patients with RA compared to HCs, and fewer compared to other rAIDs. Active RA and presence of co-existing rAIDs were associated with an increased risk of delayed AEs.

Safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in children and adult patients with rheumatic diseases: a comprehensive literature review

Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) are potentially at a higher risk of contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus and have poorer outcomes of the infection as a result of their immunocompromised state due to the nature of the underlying autoimmune conditions and immunosuppressant use. mRNA-based vaccines provide a novel approach to establishing immunity against SARS-CoV-2. However, the implications of toll-like receptors (TLRs), type I interferon (IFN) and pro-inflammatory cytokines raise concerns on disease severity and inefficient immune response following mRNA vaccination. The use of immunosuppression to reduce disease activity may have consequential implications on immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination. This study systematically reviews the literature on the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with autoimmune rheumatic conditions. This comprehensive review was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive literature search on "PubMed" and "EMBASE" electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant articles published from January 1, 2020 to August 31, 2023. The search yielded 106 studies. The mRNA-based vaccines were demonstrated to be safe and efficacious in AIIRD patients. Most studies investigating safety and efficacy of the mRNA-based vaccines reported low frequencies of serious adverse events and disease flares and few breakthrough infections after complete vaccination. Immunogenic response, however, appeared to be blunted in this population of patients, particularly in those who received certain immunosuppressive agents such as methotrexate, mycophenolic acid and rituximab. mRNA-based vaccines are generally safe and efficacious and produce adequate humoral response in AIIRD patients. Additional prospective studies are warranted to ascertain the long-term safety and efficacy profile and the duration of mRNA-vaccine induced immune response. This can aid in shaping guidelines surrounding optimal timing for booster doses in AIIRD patients.

Infection-Associated Flares in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterised by generalised immune dysfunction, including infection susceptibility. Infection-associated flares (IAFs) are common and might rapidly self-resolve, paralleling infection resolution, but their specific clinical phenotype is poorly understood. Therefore, we screened 2039 consecutive visits and identified 134 flares, defined as a loss of the lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), from 1089 visits at risk spanning over multiple follow-up years, yielding an average yearly LLDAS deterioration rate of 17%. Thirty-eight IAFs were isolated from the total flares and were mostly related to bacterial and herpesvirus infections. When compared to other flares (OFs; n = 98), IAFs showed no milder patterns of organ involvement and similar rates of long-term damage accrual, as estimated by conventional clinimetrics. Arthritis in IAFs was more severe than that in OFs [median (interquartile range) DAS-28 2.6 (2.3-4.1) vs. 2.0 (1.6-2.7); p = 0.02]. Viral IAFs were characterised by atypically lower levels of anti-DNA antibodies (p < 0.001) and possibly abnormally high complement levels when compared to flares of different origin. These data suggest that IAFs are of comparable or even higher severity than OFs and may subtend distinct pathophysiological mechanisms that are poorly tackled by current treatments. Further research is needed to confirm these data.

Factors associated with disease flare following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: results from the physician-reported EULAR Coronavirus Vaccine (COVAX) Registry

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the frequency and factors associated with disease flare following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in people with inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (I-RMDs).

METHODS

Data from the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology Coronavirus Vaccine physician-reported registry were used. Factors associated with flare in patients with I-RMDs were investigated using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographic and clinical factors.

RESULTS

The study included 7336 patients with I-RMD, with 272 of 7336 (3.7%) experiencing flares and 121 of 7336 (1.6%) experiencing flares requiring starting a new medication or increasing the dosage of an existing medication. Factors independently associated with increased odds of flare were: female sex (OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.05 to 1.87), active disease at the time of vaccination (low disease activity (LDA), OR=1.45, 95% CI=1.08 to 1.94; moderate/high disease activity (M/HDA), OR=1.37, 95% CI=0.97 to 1.95; vs remission), and cessation/reduction of antirheumatic medication before or after vaccination (OR=4.76, 95% CI=3.44 to 6.58); factors associated with decreased odds of flare were: higher age (OR=0.90, 95% CI=0.83 to 0.98), non-Pfizer/AstraZeneca/Moderna vaccines (OR=0.10, 95% CI=0.01 to 0.74; vs Pfizer), and exposure to methotrexate (OR=0.57, 95% CI=0.37 to 0.90), tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (OR=0.55, 95% CI=0.36 to 0.85) or rituximab (OR=0.27, 95% CI=0.11 to 0.66), versus no antirheumatic treatment. In a multivariable model using new medication or dosage increase due to flare as the dependent variable, only the following independent associations were observed: active disease (LDA, OR=1.47, 95% CI=0.94 to 2.29; M/HDA, OR=3.08, 95% CI=1.91 to 4.97; vs remission), cessation/reduction of antirheumatic medication before or after vaccination (OR=2.24, 95% CI=1.33 to 3.78), and exposure to methotrexate (OR=0.48, 95% CI=0.26 to 0.89) or rituximab (OR=0.10, 95% CI=0.01 to 0.77), versus no antirheumatic treatment.

CONCLUSION

I-RMD flares following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were uncommon. Factors associated with flares were identified, namely higher disease activity and cessation/reduction of antirheumatic medications before or after vaccination.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and COVID-19 at the Intersection of Immunology and Infectious Diseases: A Related PRISMA Systematic Literature Review

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients face different health challenges when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than the general population, due to both their immunocompromised state and the immunosuppressive therapies they receive. This systematic literature review, which follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) paradigm, explores the interactions between RA and SARS-CoV-2 infection, focusing on immunologic issues, disease management, vaccination, and adverse outcomes. In order to obtain the most relevant information, we systematically reviewed the specific literature from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023, based on the PRISMA method, by which we eventually selected 35 eligible articles, to which we added other ISI-indexed studies to enrich our results further. Consequently, we performed a funnel analysis to evaluate the potential for publication bias. Firstly, the data collected revealed the impact of the pandemic on RA diagnoses and the fear of face-to-face medical consultations that delayed adequate treatment. Secondly, cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities increase the risk of prolonged COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalization, and severe COVID-19 outcomes for RA patients. With respect to immunosuppressive treatment used to control RA, it was observed that glucocorticoids (especially high-dose usage) and Rituximab (RTX) predispose the patients to poor SARS-CoV-2 outcomes, as opposed to Baricitinib and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors. COVID-19 vaccination has proven effective and generally safe for RA patients in some studies, although therapies with Methotrexate (MTX), Abatacept (ABA), and RTX have been associated with impaired vaccine immune response. This systematic literature review brings updated and thorough information with respect to the immunological, clinical, and management of a complex immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) like RA in the setting of COVID-19 and underlines the challenges faced by this group of patients. The lessons learned can be extended beyond the pandemic in shaping a more informed and compassionate healthcare system and offering long-term medical care for patients with RA.

Real-world data on tolerability of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis based on patient-reported outcomes

Objectives

To assess tolerability of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with RA and controls based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods

In total, 266 study participants were included at 6 ± 1 weeks after their second vaccination (BioNTech/Pfizer (72.2%), AstraZeneca (18.8%) and Moderna (9.0%)). In a cross-sectional, observational study design, PRO data were recorded regarding both total and symptom-level tolerability.

Results

Overall tolerability was very high according to the patients' self-assessment scores (1.71 for the first and 1.72 for the second vaccination, 6-point Likert scale [1 (very good) to 6 (very poor)]) and did not differ significantly between patients with RA (n = 204) and controls (n = 62). Self-rated overall tolerability regarding first vaccination was significantly better (P = 0.002) in patients receiving mRNA vaccines (n = 193, mean tolerability 1.59) as compared with vector-vaccinated patients (n = 73, mean tolerability 2.04). Homologous or heterologous vaccination regimens had no statistically significant effect on vaccine tolerability (P = 0.131). Reservations about the vaccination were rare (6.4% for the first and 6.0% for the second vaccination) but significantly associated with poorer overall tolerability (P < 0.001) and significantly reduced willingness to recommend vaccination to others (P < 0.001 for the first and P = 0.004 for the second vaccination).

Conclusion

Based on these real-world data, tolerability of COVID-19 vaccination was very good in both RA patients and controls. Reservations against COVID-19 vaccination were rare overall, but if present, associated with a significantly worse tolerability and a significantly lower degree of recommendation.

Safety of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: A Cross-sectional Study in Egypt

Objectives

To investigate the incidence and associated risk factors of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (I-RMD and NI-RMD, respectively).

Methods

The Egyptian College of Rheumatology COVID-19 Study Group investigated physician-reported data (ECR-VaXurvey3) of RMD patients vaccinated against COVID-19 from December 2021 to June 2022, including their demographics, vaccination type, RMD diagnosis, treatments, post-vaccine flares, and other adverse events. The control group consisted of healthy, vaccinated individuals.

Results

The ECR-VaXurvey3 included 890 vaccinated RMD patients, predominantly women (73.3%) with a mean age of 44.4 ± 12.1 years, and 172 controls. The RMD group comprised 816 (91.7%) with I-RMD and 74 (8.3%) with NI-RMD. The frequency of adverse events was comparable between the RMD and control groups. In RMD patients, injection site pain (59.9%) was the most reported adverse event. Post-vaccination COVID-19 infections and disease flares were reported in 2.9% and 12.1% of I-RMD patients and in 8.1% and 9.5% of NI-RMD patients (p = 0.018 and p = 0.497, respectively). The severity of prior COVID-19 infection (odds ratio (OR) = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.0-5.8; p = 0.040) and azathioprine use (OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1-5.9; p = 0.024) were associated with higher post-vaccine adverse events, while biologic use was associated with fewer adverse events (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8; p = 0.010).

Conclusions

Adverse events following COVID-19 vaccinations in patients with RMD are comparable to controls.

Safety of CoronaVac and ChAdOx1 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: data from the Brazilian multicentric study safer

BACKGROUND

Patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs) have been prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination to mitigate the infection severity risks. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at a high risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, especially those under immunosuppression or with associated comorbidities. However, few studies have assessed the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine in patients with RA.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the safety of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with RA.

METHODS

This data are from the study "Safety and Efficacy on COVID-19 Vaccine in Rheumatic Diseases," a Brazilian multicentric prospective phase IV study to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine in IMRDs in Brazil. Adverse events (AEs) in patients with RA of all centers were assessed after two doses of ChAdOx1 (Oxford/AstraZeneca) or CoronaVac (Sinovac/Butantan). Stratification of postvaccination AEs was performed using a diary, filled out daily and returned at the end of 28 days for each dose.

RESULTS

A total of 188 patients with RA were include, 90% female. CoronaVac was used in 109 patients and ChAdOx1 in 79. Only mild AEs were observed, mainly after the first dose. The most common AEs after the first dose were pain at the injection (46,7%), headache (39,4%), arthralgia (39,4%), myalgia (30,5%) and fatigue (26,6%), and ChAdOx1 had a higher frequency of pain at the injection (66% vs 32 %, p < 0.001) arthralgia (62% vs 22%, p < 0.001) and myalgia (45% vs 20%, p < 0.001) compared to CoronaVac. The more common AEs after the second dose were pain at the injection (37%), arthralgia (31%), myalgia (23%), headache (21%) and fatigue (18%). Arthralgia (41,4% vs 25%, p = 0.02) and pain at injection (51,4% vs 27%, p = 0.001) were more common with ChAdOx1. No serious AEs were related. With Regard to RA activity level, no significant difference was observed between the three time periods for both COVID-19 vaccines.

CONCLUSION

In the comparison between the two immunizers in patients with RA, local reactions and musculoskeletal symptoms were more frequent with ChAdOx1 than with CoronaVac, especially after the first dose. In summary, the AE occurred mainly after the first dose, and were mild, like previous data from others immunizing agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Vaccination did not worsen the degree of disease activity.

COVID-19 vaccinations and infections among individuals with systemic sclerosis: A Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network (SPIN) Cohort study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

We previously surveyed adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) regarding COVID-19 vaccination in April-May 2021. The objective of the present study was to update through June-July 2022 and assess self-reported (1) COVID-19 vaccination rates, including boosters; (2) vaccine-related adverse events; (3) peri‑vaccination immunosuppressive medication management; (4) vaccine hesitancy; and (5) prevalence and severity of COVID-19 infections.

METHODS

In April-May 2021 and June-July 2022, SPIN Cohort participants completed surveys on COVID-19 vaccination and infection. Primary vaccine series was defined according to the standard for each COVID-19 vaccine; additional vaccine administrations were considered booster doses. Fully vaccinated was defined as having completed a primary vaccine series and at least one booster dose.

RESULTS

544 participants completed the 2021 survey only, 101 the 2022 survey only, and 388 both surveys. Among 489 participants with 2022 data, 437 (89 %) had received both primary and booster vaccines. Among all 1,033 participants, 960 (93 %) received at least one dose. At least one adverse reaction was reported by 34 % (330 of 960 participants) following first, 48 % (314 of 657 participants) following second, and 34 % (147 of 437 participants) following booster vaccine doses (primarily sore arm and fatigue); no severe adverse reactions were reported. SSc symptom worsening was reported in 6 % (53 of 960) after the first, 6 % after the second (39 of 657), and 4 % (17 of 437) after the booster dose. Of participants taking methotrexate or mycophenolate (including Cellcept or Myfortic), 34 of 266 (13 %) reported that they temporarily stopped or decreased their medication at the first dose, 32 of 215 (15 %) at the second dose, and 28 of 148 (19 %) for booster vaccination. Of 52 individuals not fully vaccinated with primary and booster doses in 2022, 29 (56 %) reported worry about vaccine related SSc flares. 172 of 489 (35 %) 2022 participants reported a history of at least one COVID-19 infection; 114 (66 %) occurred after receiving at least a primary vaccine series. Among initial COVID-19 infections, 9 (5 %) were asymptomatic, 66 (38 %) involved mild symptoms, 82 (48 %) moderate symptoms, and 15 (9 %) required hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Most people with SSc in the study were fully vaccinated, and most continued their methotrexate or mycophenolate post-primary and booster vaccinations. Over half of vaccine-hesitant participants were concerned regarding risk of SSc flare; however, few vaccinated participants reported this. These data may be useful for counselling people with SSc regarding COVID-19 vaccine safety and outcomes.

COVID-19 vaccination and infection status: a cross-sectional survey of patients with rheumatic diseases in China

To evaluate the vaccination status and clinical practice of patients with rheumatic diseases (RD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in China and to explore the impact of vaccination on infection severity in patients with RD. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among RD patients in outpatient and inpatient settings of the Rheumatology and Immunology Department in our hospital. Participants' characteristics, vaccination status, COVID-19 infection status, and medication for acute COVID-19 were collected. A total of 749 valid surveys were included in the study. A total of 271 (36.2%) patients were not vaccinated, and 478 (63.8%) patients received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 83.3% of patients were vaccinated with inactivated vaccines. Several patients with RD experienced the disease flare (57, 11.9%) and some adverse reactions (31, 6.5%) after COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID-19 infection rate was 84.1% in our study, which was not reduced by vaccination. However, vaccinated patients with RD showed decreased frequencies of pneumonia and hospitalization, compared with those of unvaccinated patients. Independent factors associated with hospitalization were COVID-19 vaccination (OR = 0.422, 95% CI 0.227-0.783), advanced age (OR = 1.070, 95% CI 1.046-1.095), ILD (OR = 1.245, 95% CI 1.082-1.432), and glucocorticoid (OR = 4.977, 95% CI 2.326-10.647). Adverse reactions to vaccines and disease flare are not common in RD patients. Although COVID-19 vaccination could not reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in RD patients, it may effectively decrease the frequencies of pneumonia and hospitalization after infection. It is recommended that patients with RD should receive COVID-19 vaccination if there are no contraindications because the benefits outweigh the risks.

Autoimmune rheumatic diseases and COVID-19 vaccination: a retrospective cross-sectional study from Astana

Introduction

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has had an unprecedented impact on people around the world, particularly those who were suffering from autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). The world community acknowledges the significance of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with autoimmune disorders and emphasizes the priority of this category to receive vaccination over the general population. Although many studies have been published since the first phases of vaccination all over the world, multiple related factors still need to be further investigated.

Material and methods

We investigated the COVID-19 vaccination status in patients with AIRDs, by performing a cross-sectional, interview-based study filled in by patients attending their clinics in the Astana city, capital of Kazakhstan, from April to July 2023. The survey questionnaire consisted of a set of questions, concerning patient characteristics, treatment details, accepted vaccines and characteristics of COVID-19 infection. The study objectives were to evaluate vaccine hesitancy, adverse effects, breakthrough infections and flare of underlying rheumatic disease in this population subgroup.

Results

There were 193 participants, with a median age of 50.3 ±12.9 years. Among them, 62 (32.1%) were vaccinated with at least single dose of vaccine, 16 (25.8%) of whom were fully vaccinated. The commonest (89; 68%) reason for vaccine hesitancy was a fear of autoimmune disease worsening. Vaccine-related adverse effects (AEs) were reported by 66.7% of patients. We found that vaccination provoked AIRD exacerbation in 19% of patients with AEs. Eight patients reported flare of pre-existing rheumatic disease after vaccination. The incidence of breakthrough infections was similar in the groups of vaccinated individuals (n = 12), 12.9% of whom were partially and 6.5% fully vaccinated.

Conclusions

The vaccination was found to be safe in patients with rheumatic diseases. Fear of autoimmune status was the major reason for vaccine reluctance. All reported adverse events were minor. The minority subgroup within the sample had subsequent breakthrough infections or autoimmune disease flare-ups.

Safety of COVID-19 Vaccine in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases

Objectives

The main purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of COVID-19 vaccine side effects in patients with rheumatic diseases and to examine any potential associations with medications, disease type, or comorbidities.

Methods

A multicentre cross-sectional study from rheumatology units in different hospitals in Iraq was carried out between 8th of August 2021 and 4th of August 2022. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they have a rheumatic disease and have taken one or more doses of any COVID-19 vaccine.

Results

A total of 661 (57.8% female, mean age 46.51± 12.97 years) patients with rheumatic illnesses who received the "COVID-19" vaccination were included in this study. Rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequent diagnostic group. The Pfizer vaccine was given to the majority of patients (74.6%), followed by Sinopharm (16.2%), and AstraZeneca (9.2%). Side effects were detected in 661(100%) and 528 (100%) patients following the first and second vaccination doses, respectively; among which the most frequent were injection site pain in 57.8% following the first dose and 47.6% after the second dose, followed by fatigue and fever. According to multivariate logistic regression models, age (B=-0.204, p = 0.000), had a significantly inverse correlation coefficient with the experience of greater side effects. Rheumatic disease flares reported in 9.9%, 10.3%, and 8.2% of patients who received the Pfizer, Sinopharm, and AstraZeneca vaccines, respectively.

Conclusion

The "COVID-19" vaccination has a reassuring safety profile with no greater risk of adverse events in any specific illness or pharmacological therapy.

A 12-month follow-up study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus after immunization against SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVE

To identify all post-BNT162b2 vaccination (BioNTech and Pfizer) events during the ensuing 12 months in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the Immuno-Rheumatology Department at Cayetano Heredia Hospital's cohort, Lima, Perú.

METHODS

A 12-month follow-up study was conducted from the first dose of immunization with the BNT162b2 vaccine, which was given between May and June 2021, to SLE patients from this cohort.

RESULTS

The initial population was constituted by 100 patients (100 patients received the 1st dose, 90 the 2nd dose, and 85 the 3rd dose of this vaccine); 33 patients presented a SLE reactivation (flare), 9% (9/100) post 1st dose, 26.6% (24/90) post 2nd dose, and 16.4% (14/85) post 3rd dose. The most common types of flare were articular (26) and renal (14) with 5/33 (15.1%) requiring hospitalization for flare management. A negative association with flare occurrence was found between the use of hydroxychloroquine RR 0.43 (0.21-0.85) and the opposite was the case for azathioprine RR 2.70 (1.39-5.25). During follow-up, 26 patients developed SARS-CoV-2 infection of whom three required hospitalization, one of whom died.

CONCLUSIONS

33 of 100 SLE patients immunized with BNT162b2 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, presented SLE flares (47 episodes in total); 5 of these patients required in-hospital management and all fully recovered; 26 patients had SARS-CoV-2 infection; three required hospitalization, one died.

Analysis of related factors for RA flares after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective study from patient survey

SARS-CoV-2 and its variants are widely prevalent worldwide. With frequent secondary and breakthrough infections, immune dysfunction in RA patients, and long-term use of immune preparations, SARS-CoV-2 infection poses a significant challenge to patients and rheumatologists. Whether SARS-CoV-2 infection causes RA flares and what factors aggravate RA flares are poorly studied. A questionnaire survey was conducted on RA patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 after December 7, 2022, in China through a multicenter and inter-network platform regarding general personal condition, primary disease, comorbidity, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, viral infection, and impact on the primary disease. A total of 306 RA patients were included in this study, and the patient data were analyzed, in which the general condition of RA patients, medication use before SARS-CoV-2 infection and post-infection typing and manifestations, and medication adjustment did not affect the Flare of RA patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The control of disease before SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 2.10), RA involving pulmonary lesions (OR = 2.28), and the recovery time of COVID-19 (OR = 2.50) were risk factors for RA flare. RA involving pulmonary lesions, control status of disease before infection, and recovery time of COVID-19 disease are risk factors for RA flare after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Risk of flare or relapse in patients with immune-mediated diseases following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases (AI-IMD) are at greater risk of COVID-19 infection; therefore, they should be prioritized in vaccination programs. However, there are concerns regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in terms of disease relapse, flare, or exacerbation. In this study, we aimed to provide a more precise and reliable vision using systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for original articles reporting the relapse/flare in adult patients with AI-IMD between June 1, 2020 and September 25, 2022. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted to investigate the sources of heterogeneity. Statistical analysis was performed using R software.

RESULTS

A total of 134 observations of various AI-IMDs across 74 studies assessed the rate of relapse, flare, or exacerbation in AI-IMD patients. Accordingly, the crude overall prevalence of relapse, flare, or exacerbation was 6.28% (95% CI [4.78%; 7.95%], I2 = 97.6%), changing from 6.28% (I2 = 97.6%) to 6.24% (I2 = 65.1%) after removing the outliers. AI-IMD patients administering mRNA, vector-based, and inactive vaccines showed 8.13% ([5.6%; 11.03%], I2 = 98.1%), 0.32% ([0.0%; 4.03%], I2 = 93.5%), and 3.07% ([1.09%; 5.9%], I2 = 96.2%) relapse, flare, or exacerbation, respectively (p-value = 0.0086). In terms of disease category, nephrologic (26.66%) and hematologic (14.12%) disorders had the highest and dermatologic (4.81%) and neurologic (2.62%) disorders exhibited to have the lowest crude prevalence of relapse, flare, or exacerbation (p-value < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The risk of flare/relapse/exacerbation in AI-IMD patients is found to be minimal, especially with vector-based vaccines. Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended in this population.

Correlates of breakthrough COVID-19 in vaccinated patients with systemic sclerosis: survival analysis from a multicentre international patient-reported survey

This study aimed to assess the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of breakthrough infection (BI) following coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a risk group associated with an immune-suppressed state and high cardiopulmonary disease burden. Cross-sectional data from fully vaccinated respondents with SSc, non-SSc autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs), and healthy controls (HCs) were extracted from the COVAD database, an international self-reported online survey. BI was defined according to the Centre for Disease Control definition. Infection-free survival was compared between the groups using Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests. Cox proportional regression was used to assess the association between BI and age, sex, ethnicity, and immunosuppressive drugs at the time of vaccination. The severity of BI in terms of hospitalization and requirement for oxygen supplementation was compared between groups. Of 10,900 respondents, 6836 fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: 427 SSc, 2934 other AIRDs, and 3475 HCs. BI were reported in 6.3% of SSc, 6.9% of non-SSc AIRD, and 16.1% of HCs during a median follow-up of 100 (IQR: 60-137) days. SSc had a lower risk for BI than HC [hazard ratio (HR): 0.56 (95% CI 0.46-0.74)]. BIs were associated with age [HR: 0.98 (0.97-0.98)] but not ethnicity or immunosuppressive drugs at the time of vaccination. Patients with SSc were more likely to have asymptomatic COVID-19, but symptomatic patients reported more breathlessness. Hospitalization [SSc: 4 (14.8%), HCs: 37 (6.6%), non-SSc AIRDs: 32(15.8%)] and the need for oxygenation [SSc: 1 (25%); HC: 17 (45.9%); non-SSc AIRD: 13 (40.6%)] were similar between the groups. The incidence of BI in SSc was lower than that in HCs but comparable to that in non-SSc AIRDs. The severity of BI did not differ between the groups. Advancing age, but not ethnicity or immunosuppressive medication use, was associated with BIs.

COVID-19 breakthrough infections in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study by the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) Group

To investigate the frequency, profile, and severity of COVID-19 breakthrough infections (BI) in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to healthy controls (HC) after vaccination. The second COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD-2) survey is a multinational cross-sectional electronic survey which has collected data on patients suffering from various autoimmune diseases including T1DM. We performed a subgroup analysis on this cohort to investigate COVID-19 BI characteristics in patients with T1DM. Logistic regression with propensity score matching analysis was performed. A total of 9595 individuals were included in the analysis, with 100 patients having T1DM. Among the fully vaccinated cohort, 16 (16%) T1DM patients had one BI and 2 (2%) had two BIs. No morbidities or deaths were reported, except for one patient who required hospitalization with oxygen without admission to intensive care. The frequency, clinical features, and severity of BIs were not significantly different between T1DM patients and HCs after adjustment for confounding factors. Our study did not show any statistically significant differences in the frequency, symptoms, duration, or critical care requirements between T1DM and HCs after COVID-19 vaccination. Further research is needed to identify factors associated with inadequate vaccine response in patients with BIs, especially in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Latent Class Analysis Identifies Distinct Phenotypes of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Predictive of Flares after mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination: Results from the Coronavirus National Vaccine Registry for ImmuNe Diseases SINGapore (CONVIN-SING)

We recently reported that messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination was associated with flares in 9% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we focused our analysis on patients from a multi-ethnic Southeast Asian lupus cohort with the intention of identifying distinct phenotypes associated with increased flares after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.

METHODS

Six hundred and thirty-three SLE patients from eight public healthcare institutions were divided into test and validation cohorts based on healthcare clusters. Latent class analysis was performed based on age, ethnicity, gender, vaccine type, past COVID-19 infection, interruption of immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive treatment for vaccination, disease activity and background immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive treatment as input variables. Data from both cohorts were then combined for mixed effect Cox regression to determine which phenotypic cluster had a higher risk for time to first SLE flare, adjusted for the number of vaccine doses.

RESULTS

Two clusters were identified in the test (C1 vs. C2), validation (C1' vs. C2') and combined (C1″ vs. C2″) cohorts, with corresponding clusters sharing similar characteristics. Of 633 SLE patients, 88.6% were female and there was multi-ethnic representation with 74.9% Chinese, 14.2% Malay and 4.6% Indian. The second cluster (C2, C2' and C2″) was smaller compared to the first. SLE patients in the second cluster (C2 and C2') were more likely to be male, non-Chinese and younger, with higher baseline disease activity. The second cluster (C2″) had more incident flares (hazard ratio = 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1-1.9, p = 0.014) after vaccination. A higher proportion of patients in C2″ had immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive treatment interruption for vaccination as compared to patients in C1″ (6.6% vs. 0.2%) (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

We identified two distinct phenotypic clusters of SLE with different patterns of flares following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. Caution has to be exercised in monitoring for post-vaccination flares in patients with risk factors for flares such as non-Chinese ethnicity, young age, male gender and suboptimal disease control at the time of vaccination.

Disease Flares Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective Flares of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can occur infrequently after vaccination for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although the details of this phenomenon are poorly understood. To clarify the possibility of an unfavorable response in patients with IBD, we investigated IBD-related symptoms during the COVID-19 vaccination. Methods Between October 2021 and February 2022, we obtained the COVID-19 vaccination status of 411 IBD patients who were being treated at our institution. The disease course of IBD after vaccination was investigated in 188 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 119 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who had received at least one dose of the vaccine during the clinical remission phase. The baseline characteristics before vaccination were compared between the patients with UC with or without disease flares. Results During the 30-day follow-up period, eight patients with UC (4.3%) and one patient with CD (0.8%) experienced disease flares following vaccination. Disease flares occurred after the first vaccination in six patients and after the second vaccination in three patients. As for the timing of onset of disease flares, eight events (88.9%) occurred within one week of vaccination. Two patients required hospitalization, and one patient with CD required surgery for an intra-abdominal abscess. The baseline characteristics did not significantly differ between patients with UC who experienced flares and those who did not. Conclusion IBD flares following COVID-19 vaccination are rare and vaccination should therefore be recommended for patients with IBD. However, the possibility of disease flares should be considered for approximately one week after each vaccination, especially in patients with UC.

COVID-19 Vaccination-Related Delayed Adverse Events among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

BACKGROUND

The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccination is well documented, but hesitancy among people with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, often immunocompromised, remains high, partially due to a scarcity of data on safety over a longer term. We herein aimed to assess delayed adverse events (DAEs) occurring >7 days after COVID-19 vaccination in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) versus other rheumatic autoimmune diseases (rAIDs), non-rheumatic AIDs (nrAIDs), and healthy controls (HCs).

METHODS

Self-reported data were captured within the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD)-2 online survey, which comprised >150 centres and responses from 106 countries, between February and June 2022. Logistic regression analysis adjusting for important confounders (age, sex, ethnicity) was used to compare groups.

RESULTS

Of 7203 eligible individuals, 882 (12.2%) patients had SLE, 3161 (43.9%) patients had rAIDs, 426 (5.9%) patients had nrAIDs, and 2734 (38.0%) were HCs. SLE patients had a median age of 39 years (IQR: 31-50); 93.7% were women. SLE patients reported, more frequently, major DAEs (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2-2.0; p = 0.001) and hospitalisation (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.4-3.4; p < 0.001) compared to HCs, severe rashes (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.3-4.2; p = 0.004) compared to people with rAIDS, and hospitalisation (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.9; p = 0.029) as well as several minor DAEs compared to people with nrAIDs. Differences were observed between vaccines in terms of frequency of major DAEs and hospitalisations, with the latter seen more frequently in patients receiving the Moderna vaccine. People with SLE with no autoimmune multimorbidity less frequently reported overall minor DAEs compared to SLE patients with comorbid nrAIDs (OR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-1.0; p = 0.036).

CONCLUSION

Hospitalisations post-vaccination were more frequent in SLE patients than in HCs. Monitoring of SLE patients following COVID-19 vaccination can help in identifying DAEs early, informing patients about expected DAEs, and supporting patients, especially those with autoimmune multimorbidity.

Flares in autoimmune rheumatic diseases in the post-COVID-19 vaccination period-a cross-sequential study based on COVAD surveys

OBJECTIVE

Flares of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) following COVID-19 vaccination are a particular concern in vaccine-hesitant individuals. Therefore, we investigated the incidence, predictors and patterns of flares following vaccination in individuals living with AIRDs, using global COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) surveys.

METHODS

The COVAD surveys were used to extract data on flare demographics, comorbidities, COVID-19 history, and vaccination details for patients with AIRDs. Flares following vaccination were identified as patient-reported (a), increased immunosuppression (b), clinical exacerbations (c) and worsening of PROMIS scores (d). We studied flare characteristics and used regression models to differentiate flares among various AIRDs.

RESULTS

Of 15 165 total responses, the incidence of flares in 3453 patients with AIRDs was 11.3%, 14.8%, 9.5% and 26.7% by definitions a-d, respectively. There was moderate agreement between patient-reported and immunosuppression-defined flares (K = 0.403, P = 0.022). Arthritis (61.6%) and fatigue (58.8%) were the most commonly reported symptoms. Self-reported flares were associated with higher comorbidities (P = 0.013), mental health disorders (MHDs) (P < 0.001) and autoimmune disease multimorbidity (AIDm) (P < 0.001).In regression analysis, the presence of AIDm [odds ratio (OR) = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7; P = 0.003), or a MHD (OR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1, 2.6; P = 0.007), or being a Moderna vaccine recipient (OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.2; P = 0.014) were predictors of flares. Use of MMF (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.8; P = 0.009) and glucocorticoids (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.8; P = 0.003) were protective.A higher frequency of patients with AIRDs reported overall active disease post-vaccination compared with before vaccination (OR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.5; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Flares occur in nearly 1 in 10 individuals with AIRDs after COVID vaccination; people with comorbidities (especially AIDm), MHDs and those receiving the Moderna vaccine are particularly vulnerable. Future avenues include exploring flare profiles and optimizing vaccine strategies for this group.

Long-term outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rare and complex connective tissue diseases: The ERN-ReCONNET VACCINATE study

Background

Vaccination is one of the most important measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for frail patients. VACCINATE is a multicentre prospective observational study promoted by the European Reference Network on Rare and Complex Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ERN ReCONNET) aimed at assessing the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rare and complex connective tissue diseases (rcCTDs) in terms of efficacy and safety.

Methods

Adult rcCTDs patients were eligible for recruitment. Demographic, clinical and vaccination data were collected at enrolment. Follow-up visits were scheduled 4, 12, 24, 36 and 48 weeks after completion of the first vaccination cycle; data on adverse events, disease exacerbations and the occurrence of new SARS-CoV-2 infections were collected at these time-points.

Findings

365 rcCTDs patients (87 % female, mean age 51.8 ± 14.6 years) were recruited. Overall, 200 patients (54.8 %) experienced at least one adverse event, generally mild and in most cases occurring early after the vaccination. During follow-up, 55 disease exacerbations were recorded in 39 patients (10.7 %), distributed over the entire observation period, although most frequently within 4 weeks after completion of the vaccination cycle. The incidence of new SARS-CoV-2 infections was 8.9 per 1000 person-months, with no cases within 12 weeks from vaccine administration and an increasing trend of infections moving away from the primary vaccination cycle. Only one case of severe COVID-19 was reported during the study period.

Interpretation

COVID-19 vaccination seems effective and safe in rcCTDs patients. The rate of new infections was rather low and serious infections were uncommon in our cohort. No increased risk of disease flares was observed compared to previous disease history; however, such exacerbations may be potentially severe, emphasising the need for close monitoring of our patients.

"Online survey of COVID-19 immunization and infection in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adult-onset still's disease."

Background

Patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) have been under-represented in studies about safety of the COVID-19 immunization. We aimed to inquire about the safety and tolerability of COVID-19 immunization in this population.

Methods

An anonymous online survey on closed Facebook groups for patients and parents with self-reported sJIA/AOSD was posted from June 27th until August 30th, 2022. Continuous variables were analyzed using t-tests or the Mann-Whitney U test if non-normally distributed. Fisher`s tests were used for categorical variables.

Results

Of a total of 167 responses, 17 were excluded. Ninety-nine patients received the COVID-19 immunization, and 51 patients did not. Patients in both immunized and unimmunized groups had a similar history of disease complications such as macrophage activation syndrome (50% vs. 49%), lung disease (17% vs. 29%), arthritis (51% vs. 50%), and pericarditis/myocarditis (10% vs. 8%). Unimmunized patients were younger (median age 8 yo vs. 12 yo, p < 0.001) and had a higher incidence of a history of disease flare or severe side effects with other immunizations (24% vs. 4%, p < 0.001). Thirty-nine patients reported mostly mild immunization side effects. Severe side effects included 6 reports of disease flare and 2 reports of cardiac side effects (pericarditis and atrial fibrillation). Seven patients reported side effects lasting ≥ 8 days. Three patients developed AOSD following COVID-19 immunization, and 2 of them had the only hospital admissions for immunization side effects. Regarding COVID-19 infection, 46 patients were infected without full immunization, and 33 were infected after 2 doses of immunization. There was one hospitalization in the immunized group, compared to one ICU admission leading to death in the non-immunized group. There was a trend (p > 0.05) toward a higher risk of disease flare after COVID-19 infection among non-immunized patients (43%), compared to immunized patients (24%).

Conclusions

The COVID-19 immunization was well tolerated by sJIA/AOSD patients even in this group of patients with severe disease. There was a low incidence of disease flare with immunization. Most immunization side effects were mild and lasted < 7 days. The only ICU admission and death from COVID-19 infection occurred in unimmunized subjects.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12969-023-00911-x.

The Real-World Study of Immunogenicity and Safety of the Adjuvant Recombinant Vaccine against Varicella Zoster Virus in Patients with Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases Treated with Janus Kinase Inhibitors

Background. The risk of herpes zoster reactivation is increased in immunocompromised patients, especially in those with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) on Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) treatment. The recombinant subunit herpes zoster vaccine (RZV) is a non-live vaccine, recently approved for this subgroup of patients, which shows high rates of vaccine effectiveness, with few adverse effects reported in clinical trials. Purpose. The aim of this real-world study was to determine the immunogenicity and safety of RZV in IMID patients on JAKi treatment. Methods. The increase in the concentration of anti-gE antibody for varicella zoster virus post-vaccination, compared to the pre-vaccination concentration, was analyzed to test the humoral immune response. Adverse effects after the first and second vaccine doses were registered. Results. In total, 49 patients were analyzed, and a fourfold increase in antibody concentration was achieved in almost 40% of subjects, with only one serious local adverse effect. Discussion. The resulting immunogenicity was lower than that observed in clinical trials, probably due to the presence of immune disease and immunosuppressive treatment, and to the fact that this was a real-world study. No differences in response according to age, previous virus zoster reactivation, or concomitant treatments were found. Conclusions. RZV was well tolerated and reached the immune response objective in 40% of patients. These results reinforce the importance of including RZV vaccination for immunosuppressed patients. Real-world studies regarding vaccine effectiveness are still needed in order to gain a full understanding of the response to RZV in this group of patients.

Flare and change in disease activity among patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: A prospective Chinese cohort study

BACKGROUND

Vaccination has been shown effective in controlling the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and reducing severe cases. This study was to assess the flare and change in disease activity after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

A prospective cohort of RA patients in remission or with low disease activity was divided into a vaccination group and a non-vaccination group based on their COVID-19 vaccination status. Each of them was examined every 3 to 6 months. In the vaccination group, disease activity was compared before and after vaccination. The rates of flare defined as disease activity scores based on 28-joint count (DAS28) >3.2 with ΔDAS28 ≥0.6 were compared between vaccination and non-vaccination groups.

RESULTS

A total of 202 eligible RA patients were enrolled. Of these, 98 patients received no vaccine shot (non-vaccination group), and 104 patients received two doses of vaccine (vaccination group). The median time interval from pre-vaccination visit to the first immunization and from the second dose of vaccine to post-vaccination visit was 67 days and 83 days, respectively. The disease activity scores at pre-vaccination and post-vaccination visits in the vaccination group patients were similar. At enrollment, gender, RA disease course, seropositivity, and disease activity were comparable across the two groups. Flare was observed in five (4.8%) of the vaccination group patients and nine (9.2%) of the non-vaccination group patients at post-vaccination assessment ( P  = 0.221). In terms of safety, 29 (27.9%) patients experienced adverse events (AEs) after vaccination. No serious AEs occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

COVID-19 vaccinations had no significant effect on disease activity or risk of flare in RA patients in remission or with low disease activity. Patients with stable RA should be encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccine hesitancy decreases in rheumatic diseases, long-term concerns remain in myositis: a comparative analysis of the COVAD surveys

OBJECTIVE

COVID-19 vaccines have a favorable safety profile in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) such as idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs); however, hesitancy continues to persist among these patients. Therefore, we studied the prevalence, predictors and reasons for hesitancy in patients with IIMs, other AIRDs, non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and healthy controls (HCs), using data from the two international COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) e-surveys.

METHODS

The first and second COVAD patient self-reported e-surveys were circulated from March to December 2021, and February to June 2022 (ongoing). We collected data on demographics, comorbidities, COVID-19 infection and vaccination history, reasons for hesitancy, and patient reported outcomes. Predictors of hesitancy were analysed using regression models in different groups.

RESULTS

We analysed data from 18 882 (COVAD-1) and 7666 (COVAD-2) respondents. Reassuringly, hesitancy decreased from 2021 (16.5%) to 2022 (5.1%) (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.30, P < 0.001). However, concerns/fear over long-term safety had increased (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 2.9, 4.6, P < 0.01). We noted with concern greater skepticism over vaccine science among patients with IIMs than AIRDs (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.2, P = 0.023) and HCs (OR: 4; 95% CI: 1.9, 8.1, P < 0.001), as well as more long-term safety concerns/fear (IIMs vs AIRDs - OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.9, P = 0.001; IIMs vs HCs - OR: 5.4 95% CI: 3, 9.6, P < 0.001). Caucasians [OR 4.2 (1.7-10.3)] were likely to be more hesitant, while those with better PROMIS physical health score were less hesitant [OR 0.9 (0.8-0.97)].

CONCLUSION

Vaccine hesitancy has decreased from 2021 to 2022, long-term safety concerns remain among patients with IIMs, particularly in Caucasians and those with poor physical function.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and COVID-19

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To describe the current state of knowledge regarding COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We focus on (i) SARS-CoV-2 vaccination uptake, immunogenicity and safety, and (ii) outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with SLE and pertinent risk factors for adverse sequelae.

RECENT FINDINGS

Notwithstanding the potential concern of patients about possible post-vaccination side-effects, the safety of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with SLE has been undisputedly confirmed in numerous studies. Humoral immunogenicity is generally attained in SLE, although affected by the use of background immunosuppressive drugs, especially rituximab. The latter has also clearly been implicated with adverse COVID-19 outcomes in SLE, including need for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation and death. Although the wide adoption of vaccination has significantly improved COVID-19 outcomes, patients with SLE continue to pose challenges during the pandemic, mainly owing to administered immunosuppressive medications.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in adolescent and adult patients with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: tolerability and impact on disease activity

OBJECTIVES

JSLE has a severe presentation and a remitting course. Patients with JSLE carry an increased vulnerability to infections, which also act as triggers of disease flare. Thus, vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an important tool in JSLE. The objective of this study is to evaluate the tolerability and the safety of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, including the booster, in a monocentric cohort of JSLE patients.

METHODS

Clinical records of JSLE patients who received at least one dose of any anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were retrospectively reviewed. Data about disease activity, treatment, anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and COVID-19 infection were collected.

RESULTS

Sixty-five JSLE patients received at least one dose of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, while 46 patients completed the schedule with the booster. The rate of mild-moderate adverse events was 66%, mainly comprising fever, fatigue, arthromyalgias and pain at injection site. The rate of adverse events after the booster was similar to that registered after the first two doses. No significant changes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in BILAG and SLEDAI were observed. Disease flare rate (mainly LN) after immunization was 10.8%. Flares occurred predominantly in patients with moderate disease activity before immunization; accordingly, SLEDAI ≥4 identified patients at risk of flare while Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS) plays a protective role against post-vaccination flare.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms that anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in JSLE is well tolerated; a strict clinical monitoring and a thoughtful choice of vaccination timing should be devoted to patients not in LLDAS due to the risk of post-vaccine flare.

Predictors of a weak antibody response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVES

To characterize the antibody response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and identify predictors of poor response.

METHODS

SLE patients who are followed at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Lupus Cohort (BID-LC) were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 IgG Spike antibody was measured in patients who received two doses of either the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) or the mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccine (n = 62). We defined non-responders as patients with an IgG Spike antibody titer less than two-fold (< 2) the index value of the test and responders as patients with antibody levels greater or equal to two-fold (≥ 2). A web-based survey was used to collect information regarding immunosuppressive medication use and SLE flares after vaccination.

RESULTS

In our cohort of lupus patients, 76% were vaccine responders. The use of two or more immunosuppressive drugs was associated with being a non-responder (Odds Ratio 5.26; 95% CI 1.23-22.34, p = 0.02). Both Belimumab use and higher Prednisone dose were associated with vaccine non-response (p = 0.04 and p = 0.04). The non-responder group had higher mean levels of serum IL-18 than the responder group (p = 0.04) as well as lower C3 levels (p = 0.01). Lupus flares and breakthrough infections were uncommon post-vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Immunosuppressive medications have a negative impact on vaccine humoral response in SLE individuals. We observed a trend towards vaccine no-response in BNT162b2 recipients and a relationship between IL-18 and impaired antibody response that merits further investigation.

Risk factors associated with COVID-19 pneumonia in Chinese patients with pre-existing interstitial lung disease during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

In China, the emergence of a nationally widespread epidemic infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) has appeared within a month since December 7, 2022. To evaluate the risk factors for suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia due to infection with SARS-CoV-2 in different kinds of interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients with diverse immunizations, we conducted this retrospective study on 525 patients with ILDs who underwent regular follow-up in our ILD clinic. Among them, 128 ILD patients (24.4%) suffered from COVID-19 pneumonia after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients were older with a male predominance in the pneumonia group than in the nonpneumonia group (65.0 ± 10.0 years vs. 56.4 ± 11.7 years, p < 0.001, 55.5% vs. 39.5%, p = 0.002, respectively). Connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) (25%), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (23.4%), and interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (21.1%) were the main pre-existing ILDs in the pneumonia group. In Cox multivariable analysis, only male sex and corticosteroid use were risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia after infection. Two or three doses of vaccination were a protective factor for pre-existing ILD patients suffering from COVID-19 pneumonia. More than two doses of vaccination were strongly recommended for pre-existing ILD patients, particularly for males who were administered corticosteroids.

Specific Cellular and Humoral Response after the Third Dose of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 RNA Vaccine in Patients with Immune-Mediated Rheumatic Diseases on Immunosuppressive Therapy

OBJECTIVE

Data on cellular and humoral immunogenicity after the third dose of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRDs) are scarce. Herein, we evaluated the adaptive immune response in IMRD patients treated with different immunosuppressive therapies (conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs [csDMARDs], biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs [bDMARDs], and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs [tsDMARDs]) after the booster of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to determine whether any drug reduced the vaccine's response.

METHODS

A single-center prospective study was conducted, including patients presenting with IMRD and healthy controls (HC). Specific anti-SARS-CoV-2 interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production was evaluated between 8-12 weeks after the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In addition, anti-Spike IgG antibody titers were also measured.

RESULTS

Samples were obtained from 79 IMRD patients (51 women, 28 men; mean age 57 ± 11.3 years old): 43 rheumatoid arthritis, 10 psoriatic arthritis, 14 ankylosing spondylitis, 10 undifferentiated spondyloarthritis, and 2 inflammatory bowel disease-associated spondyloarthritis (IBD-SpA). In total, 31 HC (mean age 50.9 ± 13.1 years old, 67.7% women) were included in the study. Post-vaccine results displayed positive T-cell immune responses in 68 out of 79 (86.1%) IMRD patients (82.3% of those without prior COVID-19). All HC and IMRDs patients had an antibody response against the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain; however, the HC response was significantly higher (median of 18,048 AU/mL) than in IMRDs patients (median of 6590.3 AU/mL, p < 0.001). MTX and leflunomide were associated with lower titers of IgG and IFN-γ responses. Among bDMARDs, adalimumab, etanercept, and guselkumab are associated with reduced cellular responses.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary data show that the majority of our IMRD patients develop cellular and humoral responses after the SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccination, emphasizing the relevance of vaccination in this group. However, the magnitude of specific responses was dependent on the immunosuppressive therapy administered. Specific vaccination protocols and personalized decisions about boosters are essential for these patients.

Prevalence and factors associated with flares following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis: a national cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine prevalence and factors associated with flares post Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA).

METHODS

A retrospective multi-centre study was conducted (January 2021 to February 2022). Data were collected during index visit, defined as first post-vaccine visit in which the patient had a physician-defined flare, or if at least 3 months had elapsed since first vaccine dose, whichever came first. Factors associated with flares were identified using mixed effects Cox regression and expressed as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Total of 2377 patients were included (1563 RA, 415 PsA and 399 SpA). Among patients with RA, PsA and SpA, 21.3%, 24.1% and 21.8% experienced a flare respectively. Of those who experienced a flare, only 10.2%, 11.0% and 14.9% were severe in patients with RA, PsA and SpA respectively. Patients with low or moderate/high disease were more likely to flare compared to those in remission in patients with RA only (HR: 1.68, 95% CI 1.22-2.31; HR: 2.28, 95% CI 1.50-3.48, respectively). Receiving the Moderna vaccine was associated with a higher HR of flare compared to the Pfizer vaccine in patients with PsA only (HR: 2.21, 95% CI 1.20-4.08). Patients who had two vaccine doses were found to be less likely to flare (HR: 0.08, 95% CI 0.06-0.10). HRs of flares were not significantly different among RA, PsA and SpA.

CONCLUSION

About one-fifth of patients experienced a disease flare post COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, but most flares were non-severe. Patients with active disease prior to vaccination should be monitored closely for disease flares, especially in patients with RA.

Recommendations for enhanced primary series (third dose) COVID-19 vaccination for people with rheumatic diseases: Chapter of Rheumatologists, College of Physicians, Singapore

Introduction

This review aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for an enhanced primary series (third dose) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in people with rheumatic diseases (PRDs) in the local and regional context.

Methods

Literature reviews were performed regarding the necessity, efficacy, safety and strategies for enhanced primary series COVID-19 vaccination in PRDs. Recommendations were developed based on evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Evidence was synthesised by eight working group members, and the consensus was achieved by a Delphi method with nine members of an expert task force panel.

Results

Two graded recommendations and one ungraded position statement were developed. PRDs have impaired immunogenicity from the COVID-19 vaccine and are at an increased risk of postvaccine breakthrough severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and poor clinical outcomes, compared to the general population. We strongly recommend that PRDs on immunomodulatory drugs be offered a third dose of the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine as part of an enhanced primary series, after the standard two-dose regimen. We conditionally recommend that the third dose of mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 be given at least 4 weeks after the second dose or as soon as possible thereafter. There is insufficient data to inform whether the third mRNA vaccine should be homologous or heterologous in PRDs.

Conclusion

These recommendations that were developed through evidence synthesis and formal consensus process provide guidance for an enhanced primary series COVID-19 vaccination in PRDs.

TNF inhibitors significantly attenuate the humoral immune response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

Several studies on the immunogenicity of vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases have evaluated the influence of DMARDs. The aim of the work presented here was to compare the humoral vaccine response after two vaccinations between patients with RA undergoing TNF inhibitor therapy and healthy controls.

METHODS

We assessed the humoral immune response, as measured by titres of neutralizing antibodies against the S1 antigen of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in patients with RA and anti-TNF treatment vs. controls without immunomodulatory medication. One hundred and seven fully vaccinated individuals were included at 6 ± 1 weeks after the second vaccination [BioNTech/Pfizer (72.9%), AstraZeneca (17.8%) and Moderna (9.3%)]. Immune responses in terms of antibody titres were compared between both subgroups with (n = 45) and without (n = 62) exposure to anti-TNF medication. The comparison was performed as a cross-sectional, single-centre study approach using non-parametric tests for central tendency.

RESULTS

Anti-TNF medication produced a significantly impaired humoral immune response to vaccination against COVID-19. The maximum immune response was detected in 77.4% of control patients, whereas this decreased to 62.2% in participants treated with TNF inhibitors (P = 0.045; effect size, d = 0.194). Patients on combination treatment (anti-TNF medication and MTX, 17 of 45 subjects in the treatment group) did not differ significantly regarding humoral immune response compared with patients on monotherapy with TNF inhibitors only (P = 0.214).

CONCLUSION

TNF inhibitors significantly reduce the humoral response following dual vaccination against COVID-19 in patients with RA.

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination on inflammatory arthritis: a cohort study

Objectives

To investigate the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as short- (within 48 hours) and long-term (within 30 days) adverse events (AEs) of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, including arthritis flares in a large cohort of patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study comprising 362 patients: 94 (26%) rheumatoid arthritis, 158 (43.6%) psoriatic arthritis and 110 (30.4%) ankylosing spondylitis; and 165 healthy controls (HC) to ascertain the prevalence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with IA, the rate of AEs associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and disease flares within a month of the vaccination. All patients provided informed consent and data about SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or vaccination status.

Results

One-hundred-seventeen (32.3%) patients and 39 (23.6%) HC were affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Forty (34.2%) patients experienced an IA flare within one month of infection, of whom 3 (7.5%) needed to switch therapy. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, disease severity, and hospitalization rate were not significantly different. At least one shot of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was administered in 331 (91.4%) patients and 147 (89.1%) HC. Within 48 hours, 102 (30.8%) patients developed vaccine-related AEs; 52 (15.7%) patients with >1 vaccine dose experienced an IA flare-up, of whom 12 (23.1%) needed to switch therapy.

Conclusions

A significantly higher rate of IA flare was observed among patients who contracted SARS-CoV-2 infection vs. those without infection. Patients with IA experienced flares after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, though it was not statistically significant.

COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) study: vaccine safety and tolerance in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) study aimed to assess short-term COVID-19 vaccination-related adverse events (AEs) in RA patients.

METHODS

An online self-reported questionnaire (March-December 2021) was used to capture data related to COVID-19 vaccination-related AEs in RA, other autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) (excluding RA and inflammatory myositis), non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and healthy controls (HCs). Descriptive and multivariable regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Of the 9462 complete respondents, 14.2% (n = 1347) had been diagnosed with RA; they had a mean (s.d.) age of 50.7 (13.7) years, 74.2% were women and 49.3% were Caucasian. In total, 76.9% and 4.2% of patients with RA reported minor and major AEs, respectively. Patients with active and inactive RA had similar AE and hospitalization frequencies. Overall, AEs were reported more frequently by BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 recipients and less frequently by BBV152 recipients compared with the rest. Major AE and hospitalization frequencies were similar across recipients of different vaccines. Patients receiving methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine reported fewer minor AEs than those patients not on them. Compared with HCs and patients with other AIRDs, patients with RA reported similar total AEs, overall minor AEs, and hospitalizations. Compared with nrAIDs, patients with RA reported lower frequencies of overall AEs, minor AEs (both odds ratio [OR] = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.9), and injection site pain (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.8) with similar major AE and hospitalization frequencies.

CONCLUSION

Despite the differences in AE frequency across different COVID-19 vaccines, all were well tolerated in patients with RA and were comparable to HCs, providing reassurance as to the safety of COVID-19 vaccination.

Systemic sclerosis and COVID-19 vaccine safety: short-term insights from the global COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune disease (COVAD) survey

The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines is understudied in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We compared short-term adverse events (AEs) 7 days following vaccination in patients with SSc vs other rheumatic (AIRDs), non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs), and healthy controls (HCs). The COVID-19 Vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) self-reporting e-survey was circulated by a group of > 110 collaborators in 94 countries from March to December 2021. AEs were analyzed between different groups using regression models. Of 10,679 complete respondents [73.8% females, mean age 43 years, 53% Caucasians], 478 had SSc. 83% had completed two vaccine doses, Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) (51%) was the most common. Minor and major AEs were reported by 81.2% and 3.3% SSc patients, respectively, and did not differ significantly with disease activity or different vaccine types, though with minor symptom differences. Frequencies of AEs were not affected by background immunosuppression, though SSc patients receiving hydroxychloroquine experienced fatigue less commonly (OR 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.8). Frequency of AEs and hospitalisations were similar to other AIRDs, nrAIDs, and HC except a higher risk of chills (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0-1.7) and fatigue (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0-1.6) compared to other AIRDs. COVID-19 vaccines were largely safe and well tolerated in SSc patients in the short term. Background immunosuppression and disease activity did not influence the vaccination-related short-term AEs.

Long-Term Safety Analysis of the ChAdOx1-nCoV-19 Corona Virus Vaccine: Results from a Prospective Observational Study in Priority Vaccinated Groups in North India

INTRODUCTION

Various vaccines for protection against COVID-19 were provided emergency approval in late 2020 to early 2021. There is a scarcity of long-term safety data for many of these.

OBJECTIVE

The main aim of this study is to provide the one-year safety results of the ChAdOx1-nCoV-19/AZD1222 vaccine and determine the risk factors of adverse events of special interest (AESIs) and persistent AESIs.

METHODS

This was a prospective observational study conducted from February 2021 to April 2022 in a tertiary hospital in North India and its two associated centers. Health care workers, other frontline workers, and the elderly vaccinated with the ChAdOx1-nCoV-19 vaccine constituted the study population. Individuals were contacted telephonically at pre-decided intervals for one year and health issues of significant concern were recorded. Atypical adverse events developing after a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were assessed. Regression analysis was conducted to determine risk factors of AESI occurrence and determinants of AESIs persisting for at least one month at the time of final telephonic contact.

RESULTS

Of 1650 individuals enrolled, 1520 could be assessed at one-year post-vaccination. COVID-19 occurred in 44.1% of participants. Dengue occurred in 8% of participants. The majority of the AESIs belonged to the MedDRA^® SOC of musculoskeletal disorders (3.7% of 1520). Arthropathy (knee joint involvement) was the most common individual AESI (1.7%). Endocrinal disorders such as thyroid abnormalities and metabolic disorders such as newly diagnosed diabetes developed in 0.4% and 0.3% of individuals, respectively. Regression analysis showed females, individuals with a pre-vaccination history of COVID-19, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and arthropathy had 1.78-, 1.55-, 1.82-, 2.47- and 3.9-times higher odds of AESI development. Females and individuals with hypothyroidism were at 1.66- and 2.23-times higher risk of persistent AESIs. Individuals receiving the vaccine after COVID-19 were at 2.85- and 1.94 times higher risk of persistent AESIs compared, respectively, to individuals with no history of COVID-19 and individuals developing COVID-19 after the vaccine. Among participants receiving a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (n = 185), 9.7% developed atypical adverse events of which urticaria and new-onset arthropathy were common.

CONCLUSION

Nearly half of the ChAdOx1-nCoV-19 vaccine recipients developed COVID-19 over one year. Vigilance is warranted for AESIs such as musculoskeletal disorders. Females, individuals with hypothyroidism, diabetes, and pre-vaccination history of COVID-19 are at higher risk of adverse events. Vaccines received after natural SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase the risk of persistence of adverse events. Sex and endocrinal differences and timing of the COVID-19 vaccine with respect to natural infection should be explored as determinants of AESIs in the future. Pathogenetic mechanisms of vaccine-related adverse events should be investigated along with comparisons with an unvaccinated arm to delineate the overall safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccination and the Incidence of De Novo or Recurrent Rheumatoid Arthritis: A French and International (VigiBase) Signal Detection Study

COVID-19 vaccination is critical in frequently immunocompromised patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is a question about the risk of RA flares following vaccination. Our study intended to find out about cases of new RA or flare-ups in people who already had RA that were reported in French and international pharmacovigilance databases after COVID-19 vaccination. We performed a "case-noncase" method in the international pharmacovigilance database VigiBase to identify the risk of RA following COVID-19 vaccination compared with other nonlive vaccines. Using the French Pharmacovigilance Database (FPVD), a descriptive analysis was carried out for RA cases after COVID-19 immunization and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to compare variables in the new-onset vs. flare-up groups. In 2021, 2,387 cases of RA were reported from 2,817,902 adverse drug reactions associated with COVID-19 vaccines recorded in VigiBase. The reporting odds ratio of RA onset with COVID-19 vaccines compared with the other nonlive vaccines was 0.66 (P < 0.0001). The FPVD reported 161 cases of RA with COVID-19 vaccines, including 77 new-onset RA and 84 cases of RA flare-up. In 88 cases (84.7%), RA occurred after the first dose. The mean time between vaccination and disease onset was 14 ± 21 days, and the delay was significantly shorter in the flare-up group. We do not show a higher risk of RA after COVID-19 vaccination compared with other nonlive vaccines in adults. De novo RA was more likely to happen quickly, be more severe, and have a worse outcome than flares in patients with RA.

Acute and postacute COVID-19 outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: lessons learned and emerging directions 3 years into the pandemic

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize the findings of studies investigating patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and risk of acute and postacute COVID-19 outcomes 3 years into the pandemic.

RECENT FINDINGS

Most studies early in the pandemic included all patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), not only those with RA, due to limited sample size. Many of these studies found that patients with SARDs were at higher risk of COVID-19 infection and severe outcomes, including hospitalization, hyperinflammation, mechanical ventilation, and death. Studies performed later were able to focus on RA and found similar associations, while also identifying RA-specific factors such as immunosuppressive medications, disease activity/severity, and interstitial lung disease as risk factors for severe COVID-19. After COVID-19 vaccination, the risks for COVID-19 infection and severity were reduced for patients with RA, but a gap between the general population persisted, and some patients with RA are susceptible to breakthrough infection after vaccination. Preexposure prophylaxis, effective treatments, and changes in viral variants have also contributed to improved COVID-19 outcomes throughout the pandemic. Emerging data suggest that patients with RA may be at risk for postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC).

SUMMARY

Although COVID-19 outcomes have improved over the pandemic for patients with RA, some experience poor acute and postacute outcomes after COVID-19. Clinicians and patients should remain vigilant about risk mitigation for infection and consider early treatment for RA patients with COVID-19. Future studies are needed to investigate clinical outcomes and mechanisms of PASC among patients with RA.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in inflammatory arthritis patients: serial surveys from a large longitudinal national Australian cohort

OBJECTIVES

To determine COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rates in inflammatory arthritis patients and identify factors associated with changing vaccine hesitancy over time.

METHODS

This investigation was a prospective cohort study of inflammatory arthritis patients from community and public hospital outpatient rheumatology clinics enrolled in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD). Two surveys were conducted, one immediately prior to (pre-pandemic) and another approximately 1 year after the start of the pandemic (follow-up). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy was measured at follow-up, and general vaccine hesitancy was inferred pre-pandemic; these were used to identify factors associated with fixed and changing vaccine beliefs, including sources of information and broader beliefs about medication.

RESULTS

Of the 594 participants who completed both surveys, 74 (12%) were COVID-19 vaccine hesitant. This was associated with pre-pandemic beliefs about medications being harmful (P < 0.001) and overused (P = 0.002), with stronger beliefs resulting in vaccine hesitancy persistent over two time points (P = 0.008, P = 0.005). For those not vaccine hesitant pre-pandemic, the development of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was associated with a lower likelihood of seeking out vaccine information from health-care professionals (P < 0.001). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was not associated with new influenza vaccine hesitancy (P = 0.138).

CONCLUSION

In this study of vaccine beliefs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in inflammatory arthritis patients varied, depending on vaccine attitudes immediately prior to the start of the pandemic. Fixed beliefs reflected broader views about medications, while fluid beliefs were highly influenced by whether they sought out information from health-care professionals, including rheumatologists.

How do COVID-19 vaccines affect rheumatic diseases?

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effects of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines administered in Türkiye on disease activity and the side effects in the patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD).

Patients and methods: Between September 2021 and February 2022, a total of 536 patients with IRD (225 males, 311 females; mean age: 50.5±12.6 years; range, 18 to 93 years) who were vaccinated against COVID-19 and followed in the outpatient setting were included in the study. Vaccination status of the patients and whether they had COVID-19 were questioned. All patients were asked to rate their anxiety about the vaccination on a scale of 0-10 before and after the shots. They were asked whether they experienced any side effects and an increase in IRD complaints after vaccination.

Results: A total of 128 (23.9%) patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 before the first vaccination. Totally, 180 (33.6%) patients were vaccinated with CoronaVac (Sinovac) and 214 (39.9%) patients with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech). Also, 142 (26.5%) patients were given both vaccines. When the anxiety level of the patients before the first vaccination was questioned, 53.4% reported that they had no anxiety. The rate of patients without any anxiety after vaccination was 67.9%. Comparison of pre- (median Q3=6) and post-vaccine (median Q3=1) anxiety values showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). A total of 283 (52.8%) patients reported side effects after vaccination. When both vaccines were compared with each other, the rate of the side effects was higher in the BNT162b2 group (p<0.001) and also in the CoronaVac plus BNT162b2 group (p=0.022). There was no statistically significant difference between BNT162b2 and CoronaVac plus BNT162b2 in terms of side effects (p=0.066). Forty-five (8.4%) patients had increased rheumatic complaints after vaccination.

Conclusion: The lack of a significant increase in disease activity after COVID-19 vaccination in patients with IRD and the absence of serious side effects requiring hospitalization support the safety of vaccines in this patient group.