Clinical course and prognostic factors of COVID-19 infection in patients with chronic inflammatory-rheumatic disease: A retrospective, case-control study.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the prognosis of novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) infection in patients with the chronic inflammatory-rheumatic disease and evaluate the effects of immunosuppressive drugs on the prognosis, clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and hospitalization periods of the rheumatic patients with COVID-19 infection. Patients and methods: Between April 2020 and March 2021, a total of 101 patients (30 males, 71 females; mean age: 48±14.4 years; range, 46 to 48 years) with the rheumatic diseases diagnosed with COVID-19 infection were included. A total of 102 age- and sex-matched patients (35 males, 67 females; mean age: 44±14.4 years; range, 28 to 44 years) who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and had no history of rheumatic disease in the same period were included as the control group. Data including demographic characteristics of the patients, presence of any symptoms of COVID-19 disease, laboratory data at the time of diagnosis, and treatments administered were collected. Results: The rate of hospitalization was higher in 38 (37%) patients without rheumatic diseases than in 31 (31%) patients with rheumatic diseases (p=0.324). The rate of lung infiltration on radiographic examination was higher in patients without rheumatic diseases (40% vs. 49%) (p=0.177). COVID-19 infection symptoms such as anosmia 45 (45%), ageusia 51 (50%), shortness of breath 45(45%), nausea 29 (29%), vomiting 16 (16%), diarrhea 25 (25%) and myalgia-arthralgia 81 (80%) were higher in patients with rheumatic diseases. In terms of laboratory values, lymphocyte count (p=0.031) was statistically higher in patients without rheumatic diseases. Hydroxychloroquine (35%), oseltamivir 10 (10%), antibiotics 27 (26%), acetylsalicylic acid 52 (51%), and supplementary oxygen 25 (25%) treatments which used to cure COVID 19 infection were administered more in patients without rheumatic diseases. The number of treatments administered was higher in patients without rheumatic diseases (p<0.001). Conclusion: Patients with the chronic inflammatory-rheumatic disease have more symptoms due to COVID-19 infection, but the disease course is not poor and hospitalization rates are lower.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Spondyloarthropathies.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the clinical features, predictive factors associated with severe disease, and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and report data on the comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 between patients with inflammatory bowel disease and spondyloarthropathies. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and spondyloarthropathies who had confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics, comorbidities, immunosuppressive treatments, and the impact of immunosuppression on negative outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 47 (38-57) years. The most common rheumatologic diagnosis was ankylosing spondylitis (n = 24), psoriatic arthritis (n = 17), and reactive arthritis (n = 1). In the inflammatory bowel disease group, 47 patients had ulcerative colitis, 11 Crohn's disease, and 1 unclassified. The most commonly used treatments were biologics (55%) in the spondyloarthropathies group and aminosalicylates (66.1%) in the inflammatory bowel disease group. Overall, 18.8% of the patients required hospitalization, 5% developed severe complications, and 2% died. There were no significant differences in coronavirus disease 2019-related negative outcomes between spondyloarthropathies and inflammatory bowel disease patients. The median age was higher in the patients who required hospitalization [57 (46-66) vs 47 (38-57) years, P=.008]. Bilateral opacities on chest radiographs were more common in the patients who required hospitalization in the spondyloarthropathies group [88.9% vs 14.3%, P=.016]. Comorbidity was significantly associated with hospitalization in the inflammatory bowel disease group (P ≤ .05). Baseline therapy with biologics or immunosuppressives was not associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes. CONCLUSION: Older age, comorbidities, and bilateral ground-glass opacities were associated with adverse outcomes, whereas specific immune-mediated inflammatory disease diagnoses or immunosuppressive treatments were not.

The Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 in Patients with Behçet's Disease: A Series of 7 Cases and Brief Review of the Literature.

Conventional debates surrounding the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 still continue in the literature. Colchicine is one of the recommended agents in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019, but there are also studies giving negative opinions for the said agent. Some researchers suggest that those patients using colchicine have milder clinic symptoms. Behçet's disease is a multisystemic disease with an uncertain etiopathogenesis that is characterized by chronic inflammatory vasculitis. Autoimmunity is believed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Behçet's disease. Immunomodulator, corticosteroid, and immunosuppressive drugs are used in its treatment. Seven Behçet's patients with coronavirus disease 2019 were presented in this study, and the drugs used, prognosis, accompanying diseases, hospitalization, and complications were discussed in the light of the literature.

Assessment of the frequency of tarsal tunnel syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to determine the frequency of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty RA patients (1 male, 29 females; mean age: 41.9±10.1 years; range, 26 to 65 years) who met the American College Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria and 20 healthy volunteers (1 male, 19 females; mean age: 39.3±10.8 years; range, 26 to 60 years) without any complaints between August 2006 and October 2007 were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the study group were assessed and neurological examinations were performed. The Tinel's sign was checked to provoke the TTS symptoms. Disease severity was measured using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The health-related quality of life and disability status were determined using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Short Form 36 (SF-36), Foot Function Index (FFI), and VAS (0-100 mm). The positional relationship of the foot pain was questioned with VAS. The 100-m walking distance of the patient and control groups were calculated. RESULTS: Bilateral TTS was detected in 10 of the patients (33.3%) with rheumatoid arthritis. No relationship with the TTS disease duration, seropositivity, rheumatoid nodule, joint deformities, corticosteroid use, and DAS28 score were found. In correlation with TTS, foot and ankle joint were the first involved joints at the beginning of RA disease (p<0.005). The Tinel's sign was found to be 45% positive in patients with TTS. The 100-m walking time was significantly longer in RA patients compared to the control group (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Tarsal tunnel syndrome is commonly seen in RA and its incidence increases in patients with primary foot involvement. Therefore, caution should be taken against the entrapment neuropathies in these patients, and they should be supported by electrophysiological practices, when the diagnosis is necessary.