R Hasseli1, U Müller-Ladner1, F Keil2, M Broll3, A Dormann4, C Fräbel5, W Hermann1, C-J Heinmüller6, B F Hoyer7, F Löffler1, F Özden8, U Pfeiffer4, J Saech9, T Schneidereit4, A Schlesinger10, A Schwarting11, C Specker12, G Stapfer1, M Steinmüller13, K Storck-Müller14, J Strunk15, A Thiele4, K Triantafyllias11, D Vagedes16, S Wassenberg17, E Wilden18, S Zeglam10, T Schmeiser4. 1. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Campus Kerckhoff, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany. 2. Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Technical University Darmstadt, Germany. 3. Private Practice, Wetzlar, Germany. 4. Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Saint Josef Hospital, Wuppertal. 5. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Giessen, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany. 6. Private Practice, Wuppertal, Germany. 7. Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Clinic for Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Germany. 8. Private Practice, Nienburg, Germany. 9. Private Practice "Rheumatologie-Centrum", Leverkusen, Germany. 10. Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology and Rheumatology, Marienhospital, Cologne, Germany. 11. Acura Rheumatology Center Rhineland Palatinate, Bad Kreuznach, Germany. 12. Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Essen, Germany. 13. Private Practice, Ehringshausen, Germany. 14. Rheumazentrum Mittelhessen, Bad Endbach, Germany. 15. Hospital Porz am Rhein, Department of Rheumatology Cologne, Germany. 16. Medical care centre Barmherzige Brüder, Straubing, Germany. 17. Private Practice "Rheumazentrum Ratingen", Ratingen, Germany. 18. Private Practice, Cologne, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the adherence of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) to their immunomodulatory medication during the three-months lockdown in Germany. METHODS: From March 16th until June 15th 2020, IRD patients from private practices and rheumatology departments were asked to answer a questionnaire addressing their behaviour with respect to their immunomodulating therapy. Eight private practices and nine rheumatology departments which included rheumatology primary care centres and university hospitals participated. 4252 questionnaires were collected and evaluated. RESULTS: The majority of patients (54%) were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, followed by psoriatic arthritis (14%), ankylosing spondylitis (10%), connective tissue diseases (12%) and vasculitides (6%). The majority of patients (84%) reported to continue their immunomodulatory therapy. Termination of therapy was reported by only 3% of the patients. The results were independent from the type of IRD, the respective immunomodulatory therapy and by whom the patients were treated (private practices vs rheumatology departments). Younger patients (<60 years) reported just as often as older patients to discontinue their therapy. CONCLUSION: The data show that most of the patients continued their therapy in spite of the pandemic. A significant change in behavior with regard to their immunomodulatory therapy was not observed during the three months of observation. The results support the idea that the immediate release of recommendation of the German Society of Rheumatology were well received, supporting the well-established physician-patient-relationship in times of a crisis.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the adherence of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) to their immunomodulatory medication during the three-months lockdown in Germany. METHODS: From March 16th until June 15th 2020, IRD patients from private practices and rheumatology departments were asked to answer a questionnaire addressing their behaviour with respect to their immunomodulating therapy. Eight private practices and nine rheumatology departments which included rheumatology primary care centres and university hospitals participated. 4252 questionnaires were collected and evaluated. RESULTS: The majority of patients (54%) were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, followed by psoriatic arthritis (14%), ankylosing spondylitis (10%), connective tissue diseases (12%) and vasculitides (6%). The majority of patients (84%) reported to continue their immunomodulatory therapy. Termination of therapy was reported by only 3% of the patients. The results were independent from the type of IRD, the respective immunomodulatory therapy and by whom the patients were treated (private practices vs rheumatology departments). Younger patients (<60 years) reported just as often as older patients to discontinue their therapy. CONCLUSION: The data show that most of the patients continued their therapy in spite of the pandemic. A significant change in behavior with regard to their immunomodulatory therapy was not observed during the three months of observation. The results support the idea that the immediate release of recommendation of the German Society of Rheumatology were well received, supporting the well-established physician-patient-relationship in times of a crisis.
Authors: Roberta Naddei; Renata Alfani; Martina Bove; Valentina Discepolo; Filomena Mozzillo; Alfredo Guarino; Maria Alessio Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2021-08-16 Impact factor: 5.178
Authors: Anne Constanze Regierer; Rebecca Hasseli; Martin Schäfer; Bimba F Hoyer; Andreas Krause; Hanns-Martin Lorenz; Alexander Pfeil; Jutta Richter; Tim Schmeiser; Hendrik Schulze-Koops; Anja Strangfeld; Reinhard E Voll; Christof Specker; Ulf Mueller-Ladner Journal: RMD Open Date: 2021-10