TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treat-to-target strategies and physical consultations in >7000 patients with inflammatory arthritis

AU - Glintborg, Bente

AU - Jensen, Dorte Vendelbo

AU - Terslev, Lene

AU - Pfeiffer Jensen, Mogens

AU - Hendricks, Oliver

AU - Østergaard, Mikkel

AU - Engel, Sara

AU - Horskjær Rasmussen, Simon

AU - Adelsten, Thomas

AU - Colic, Ada

AU - Danebod, Kamilla

AU - Kildemand, Malene

AU - Loft, Anne Gitte

AU - Munk, Heidi Lausten

AU - Pedersen, Jens Kristian

AU - Østgård, René Drage

AU - Møller Sørensen, Christian

AU - Krogh, Niels Steen

AU - Nørgaard Agerbo, Jette

AU - Ziegler, Connie

AU - Hetland, Merete Lund

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treat-to-target strategies (disease activity, remission rates) and access to physical consultations in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease, as well as to explore characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations in the clinic and the impact of early vs established disease. METHODS: Patients with RA, PsA or axial SpA (axSpA) prospectively followed in the nationwide DANBIO registry answered online questionnaires and reported patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in June and November 2020. Patient characteristics, disease activity and physical consultations in the clinic before and during the pandemic were identified in DANBIO [all patients and subgroups with early disease (disease duration ≤2 years)]. In individual patients, changes in PROs before and during the pandemic were calculated. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations were described (age, gender, education level, comorbidities, disease duration, treatment). RESULTS: We included 7836 patients (22% of eligible patients), 12% of which had early disease. PROs were stable before and during the pandemic, with median changes approximating zero, as well as in patients with early disease. Remission rates were stable. The relative decrease in the number of patients with physical consultations was 21-72%, which was highest in axSpA. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations were similar. Self-reported satisfaction with treatment options and access was >70%; the preferred contact form was physical consultation (66%). CONCLUSION: In this nationwide study performed during the first 8 months of the pandemic, patient satisfaction was high and the PROs and remission rates remained stable despite the remarkable reduction in physical consultations, as well as in patients with early disease. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations appeared similar.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treat-to-target strategies (disease activity, remission rates) and access to physical consultations in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease, as well as to explore characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations in the clinic and the impact of early vs established disease. METHODS: Patients with RA, PsA or axial SpA (axSpA) prospectively followed in the nationwide DANBIO registry answered online questionnaires and reported patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in June and November 2020. Patient characteristics, disease activity and physical consultations in the clinic before and during the pandemic were identified in DANBIO [all patients and subgroups with early disease (disease duration ≤2 years)]. In individual patients, changes in PROs before and during the pandemic were calculated. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations were described (age, gender, education level, comorbidities, disease duration, treatment). RESULTS: We included 7836 patients (22% of eligible patients), 12% of which had early disease. PROs were stable before and during the pandemic, with median changes approximating zero, as well as in patients with early disease. Remission rates were stable. The relative decrease in the number of patients with physical consultations was 21-72%, which was highest in axSpA. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations were similar. Self-reported satisfaction with treatment options and access was >70%; the preferred contact form was physical consultation (66%). CONCLUSION: In this nationwide study performed during the first 8 months of the pandemic, patient satisfaction was high and the PROs and remission rates remained stable despite the remarkable reduction in physical consultations, as well as in patients with early disease. Characteristics of patients with/without physical consultations appeared similar.

KW - axial spondyloarthritis

KW - COVID-19

KW - observational research

KW - outcome measures

KW - RA

KW - SARS-CoV-19

KW - treat-to-target

U2 - 10.1093/rheumatology/keab500

DO - 10.1093/rheumatology/keab500

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34146099

AN - SCOPUS:85118285880

VL - 60

SP - SI3-SI12

JO - Rheumatology

JF - Rheumatology

SN - 1462-0324

IS - SI

ER -