AB1159 HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE SHORTAGE AND ITS RELATION TO ANXIETY LEVEL AND DISEASE ACTIVITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

BackgroundConcerns of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) shortage for patients with rheumatic diseases are growing during the era of COVID-19 pandemic as it was assigned in some treatment protocols. Its nonavailability may impact the disease management especially in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).ObjectivesTo evaluate the shortage of HCQ in patients with RA and SLE and its impact on patients anxiety and disease activity.Methods219 RA patients (according to 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria) and 200 SLE patients (according to 2012 SLICC criteria) were recruited in the study. Demographic and clinical features of the patients together with the current disease activity parameters (CDAI and SELENA/SLEADI) were prospectively collected. previous disease activity measures were collected from the patients records before hydroxychloroquine shortage. Patient’s anxiety was measured using Hamilton anxiety rating scale.ResultsA total of 419 patients divided into two groups, Group (1); 219 RA patients with mean age 45.6±9.6 years, disease duration 45.5±32.8 months with female predominance (63 %). Group (2): 200 SLE patients with mean age 33.8±7.9 years, disease duration 61.2±39.2 months with female predominance (84%). 168 (76.7%) of the RA patients and 128 (64%) of SLE patients reduced or stopped the dose of HCQ due to unavailability. Despite HCQ shortage, there was no significant change in disease activity in RA or SLE patients (P=0.063 and 0.064 respectively). All participants suffered from different levels of anxiety which was positively correlated with HCQ shortage (p= 0.001 and 0.005 for RA and SLE respectively).ConclusionCOVID 19 pandemic caused hydroxychloroquine shortage in the majority of patients with RA and SLE with no significant impact on their disease activity. Anxiety was found correlating to HCQ shortage in both diseases more significantly in SLE patients.Disclosure of InterestsMohammed Hassan Abu-Zaid: None declared, Hany Eitta: None declared, Abdelhfeez Moshrif Speakers bureau: Amgen, Jansen and Novartis, Doaa Abdeldaim: None declared, nehal EL Ghobashy: None declared