Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on decisions for the management of people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a survey among EULAR countries
- PMID: 33158877
- DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-218697
Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on decisions for the management of people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a survey among EULAR countries
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate how the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic influenced decisions of rheumatologists and health professionals in rheumatology regarding the management of patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).
Methods: An English-language questionnaire was developed by a EULAR working group and distributed via national rheumatology societies of EULAR countries, EMEUNET and individual working group members. Responses were collected using an online survey tool. Descriptive statistics were calculated.
Results: We analysed 1286 responses from 35/45 EULAR countries. Due to containment measures, 82% of respondents indicated cancellation/postponement of face-to-face visits of new patients (84% of them offering remote consultation) and 91% of follow-up visits (96% with remote consultation). The majority of respondents (58%) perceived that the interval between symptom onset and first rheumatological consultations was longer during containment restrictions than before. Treatment decisions were frequently postponed (34%), and the majority (74%) of respondents stated that it was less likely to start a biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD)/targeted synthetic DMARD during the pandemic, mainly because of patients' fear, limited availability of screening procedures and decreased availability of rheumatological services. Use of (hydroxy)chloroquine (HCQ) and tocilizumab (TCZ) for the COVID-19 indication was reported by 47% and 42% of respondents, respectively, leading to a shortage of these drugs for RMDs indications according to 49% and 14% of respondents, respectively.
Conclusion: Measures related to containment of COVID-19 pandemic led to a perceived delay between symptom onset and a first rheumatological visit, postponement of treatment decisions, and shortage of HCQ and TCZ, thereby negatively impacting early treatment and treat-to-target strategies.
Keywords: arthritis; autoimmune diseases; epidemiology; health services research; rheumatoid.
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
Conflict of interest statement
Competing interests: CD received consulting/speaker’s fees from Abbvie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche and Sanofi, all unrelated to this manuscript. AA has nothing to disclose. JWJB received honoraria from Lilly, Roche, Abbvie, Galapagos, SUN all unrelated to this manuscript. AB received research granst form Abbvie and Celgene, and consultation/speakers fees from Eli Lilly, Novartis, UCB and Galapagos all to here department and all unrelated to this manuscript. BC received honoraria from AbbVie; BMS; Gilead; Janssen; Lilly; Merck; Novartis; Pfizer; Roche-Chugai; Sanofi; and research grants from Novartis, Pfizer and Roche; all unrelated to this manuscript. AF has nothing to disclose. PMM received consulting/speaker’s fees from Abbvie, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche and UCB, all unrelated to this manuscript. IP received honoraria from Novartis, Sanofi, Abbvie, Sandoz and Roche, all unrelated to this manuscript. FS has nothing to disclose. TAS has nothing to disclose. FB received consulting/speaker’s fees from Abbvie, Lilly, Horizontherapeutics, Pfizer and Roche/Chugai, all unrelated to this manuscript.
Comment in
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Correspondence on 'Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on decisions for the management of people with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a survey among EULAR countries'.Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 Oct;80(10):e170. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-219847. Epub 2021 Jan 28. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021. PMID: 33509797 No abstract available.