Risk of Severe COVID-19 in those with IMIDs

October 17, 2022

Immunocompromised patients are generally considered to have an increased risk for severe COVID-19. However, studies usually put immunocompromised patients in one category without distinguishing the conditions they suffer from, or they only observe a small subset of patients. 

In a recent study, researchers evaluated whether the patients suffering from various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and malignancies had an increased risk of severe COVID-19. IMIDs included in the study were SLE, Psoriasis, Psoriatic and Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis. 

Researchers analyzed patient data from over 700 hospitals and 7000 clinics across the USA and concluded that the risk of severe COVID-19 was different for patients suffering from various IMIDs. The risk of severe COVID-19 was higher in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. On the other hand, the risk of severe COVID-19 was comparable between the general population and patients suffering from SLE, Psoriasis, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease, or Ankylosing Spondylitis. Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis had a lower risk for severe disease.

It is important to note that authors did not include patient vaccination status in their analysis as access to the COVID-19 vaccine was still limited during the study period. Authors concluded that vaccination status should not have a significant effect on the study’s results and conclusions. Additionally, information on SARS-CoV-2 variants and whether the patients were undergoing immunosuppressive therapies was also not included.