Rheum Round-up: RA Increases Risk of COVID-19, Hospitalization, Death; Predicting PsO Outcomes; and more

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, as well as hospitalization and death associated with the virus, according to a study. Per the researchers’ adjusted analyses, patients with RA, compared to those without RA, were at a greater risk of COVID-19 and COVID-19 hospitalization or death. Factors associated with COVID-19 and COVID-19 hospitalization or death included disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, prednisone, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, and certain chronic conditions. The researchers noted, however, that RA autoantibody seropositivity did not increase the risks of COVID-19 or severe COVID-19.

Another study found that early identification of certain patient factors may predict long-term outcomes in psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis who had plaque phenotype, above-median disease activity, and scalp lesions were much more likely to have severe skin disease. Similarly, patients with initial joint pain were more likely than those without to have psoriatic arthritis after 10 years. Other predictors of severe disease were smoking and activating genes in the IL-23 pathway. Meanwhile, patients with systemic therapy at or before enrolling in the study had a lower 10-year risk of severe disease as opposed to delayed therapy initiation.

Finally, the addition of mifamurtide to conventional therapy improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with osteosarcoma, according to a study. Adverse events were in line with what researchers expected, and they did not observe any dose limiting toxicities or local relapses. Two patients died, one in the first complete remission due to doxorubicin cardiotoxicity, and another to pulmonary metastatic relapse. Three-year event-free survival (EFS) was 87.4%, PFS was 92.9%, and overall survival (OS) was 94.1%. Five-year EFS was 87.4%, PFS was 92.9%, and OS was 80.7%.

In Case You Missed It:

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis At Greater Risk of COVID-19, Hospitalization and Death

Patient Characteristics at Diagnosis May Predict 10-Year Psoriasis Disease Course

Mifamurtide Added to Osteosarcoma Therapy May Improve Outcomes