Characteristics of Elderly-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients With COVID-19

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) patients with COVID-19. We retrospectively enrolled EORA patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from December 2022 through February 2023 and followed them up. Demographic characteristics of the patients and clinical data on COVID-19 were collected, and EORA-related data at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis and during COVID-19 episodes were evaluated. A total of 102 EORA outpatients were enrolled and stratified into the COVID-19 group (n = 60) and the non–COVID-19 group (n = 42). In the COVID-19 group, 56 (93.3%) had symptoms, 8 (13.3%) had viral pneumonia, and 4 (6.7%) developed severe COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lack of COVID-19 vaccination (P = 0.016 and P = 0.030, respectively) and having interstitial lung disease (P = 0.013 and P = 0.001, respectively) were independent risk factors for viral pneumonia and severe COVID-19. Compared with the general population, EORA patients did not show significantly higher susceptibility to COVID-19 or a higher risk of severe COVID-19. However, EORA patients with interstitial lung disease require special consideration during COVID-19 episodes.