COVID-19 Outcomes Among Patients With PsO, PsA, and axSpA

Severe COVID-19 outcomes in patients with psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were found to be associated with older patients, men, patients with greater comorbidity burden, higher disease activity, and glucocorticoid use, according to the results of an international study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

“Later pandemic time periods, PsO and exposure to TNFi, IL17i and IL-23i/IL-12+23i were associated with less severe COVID-19,” as well, the authors noted.

The team collected information regarding patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and COVID-19 severity from 2 international registries—COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance and Psoriasis Patient Registry for Outcomes, Therapy and Epidemiology of COVID-19 Infection.

The primary outcome was COVID-19 severity. The results were divided into 3 categories: no hospitalization or death; hospitalization, but no death; death.

Investigators pulled data from 5045 patients (mean age 50 years, 51.7% men) Of these, 45.5% of the patients had PsA, 36.3% had axSpA, and 18.3% had PsO.

The severity of COVID-19 outcomes was more pronounced in older age groups. Multiple comorbidities (cardiometabolic, pulmonary, renal, metabolic, and cancer) were more associated with worse outcomes. In addition, moderate or high disease activity vs remission or low disease activity, as well as use vs nonuse of glucocorticoids, were associated with increased risk for severe COVID-19.

“These findings will enable risk stratification and inform management decisions for patients with PsO, PsA and axSpA during COVID-19 waves or similar future respiratory pandemics,” the researchers concluded.

Reference:
Machado PM, Schäfer M, Mahil SK et al. Characteristics associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes in people with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis: data from the COVID-19 PsoProtect and Global Rheumatology Alliance physician-reported registries. Annals of the Rheum Dis. 2023; 82: 698-709. DOI: 10.1136/ard-2022-223499