O24 Risk of death during the 2020 UK COVID-19 epidemic and annual influenza seasons among people with vasculitis compared to the general population: a whole-population study using data from the NDRS and the RECORDER project

Abstract

Background/Aims To quantify the risk of death among people with vasculitis during the UK 2020 COVID-19 epidemic compared with baseline risk, risk during annual influenza seasons and risk of death in the general population during COVID-19. Methods We performed a cohort study using data from the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS) under their legal permissions (CAG 10-02(d)/2015). Coded diagnoses for vasculitis (ANCA-associated vasculitis, Takayasu arteritis, Behçet's disease, and giant cell arteritis) were identified from Hospital Episode Statistics from 2003 onwards. Previous coding validation work demonstrated a positive predictive value >85%. The main outcome measure was age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) for all-cause death. ONS published data were used for general population mortality rates. Results We identified 55,110 people with vasculitis (median age 74.9 (IQR 64.1-82.7) years, 68.0% female) alive 01 March 2020. During March-April 2020, 892 (1.6%) died of any cause. The crude mortality rate was 9773.0 (95% CI 9152.3-10,435.9) per 100,000 person-years. The ASMR was 2567.5 per 100,000 person-years, compared to 1361.1 (1353.6-1368.7) in the general population (see table).The ASMR in March-April 2020 was 1.4 times higher than the mean ASMR for March-April 2015-2019 (1965.6). The increase in deaths during March-April 2020 occurred at a younger age than in the general population.We went on to investige the effect of previous influenza seasons. The 2014/15 season saw the greatest excess all-cause mortality nationally in recent years, and there were 624 deaths in 38,888 people (6472.5 person-years) with vasculitis in our data (crude mortality rate 9640.8 (8913.3-10427.7); The ASMR was 2657.6, which was marginally higher than the ASMR among people with vasculitis recorded during March-April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion People with vasculitis are at increased risk of death during circulating COVID-19 and influenza epidemics. The ASMR among people with vasculitis was high both during the 2014/15 influenza season and during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic. COVID-19 vaccination and annual influenza vaccination for people with vasculitis are both important, regardless of patient age. Disclosure M. Rutter: None. P.C. Lanyon: Grants/research support; PCL has received funding for research from Vifor Pharma.. M.J. Grainge: None. R.B. Hubbard: None. E.J. Peach: Grants/research support; EJP has received funding for research from Vifor Pharma. M. Bythell: None. J. Aston: None. S. Stevens: None. F.A. Pearce: Grants/research support; FAP has received funding for research from Vifor Pharma..