The prevalence of Covid-۱۹ in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis receiving classic Disease-Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs

The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of Covid-۱۹ in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who used classic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).In this descriptive study that was performed in Loghman-Hakim Hospital (Tehran, Iran) between ۲۰۱۱ and ۲۰۲۰, patients with RA who were referred to the hospital were assessed based on age, sex,medications, comorbidities, smoking, duration of RA, history of Covid-۱۹ in a first-degree relative, history of Covid-۱۹ in thepatient, and Covid-۱۹ symptoms.Of one thousand patients with RA, the mean age was ۵۳.۸۴ years old, and ۷۲.۳% were female. Covid-۱۹ prevalence among patients with RA was ۱۰.۴%. The prevalence of Covid-۱۹ in patients who used sulfasalazine was significantly higher (۱۴.۳%)than in patients who did not take it (۸.۹ %) (OR = ۱.۷۲; ۹۵% CI,pvalue= ۰.۰۱۱). Hydroxychloroquine was the most generally utilized drug among Covid-۱۹ patients. However, there was no correlation between theprevalence of Covid-۱۹ and the use of hydroxychloroquine (pvalue= ۰.۷۷۹). In RA, self-quarantine lowered the risk of Covid-۱۹ by around ۶۰% (OR = ۰.۳۸۲; ۹۵%CI (۰.۲۲۵-۰.۶۵۰)). In these patients, cardiac disease exhibited a significant correlation withCovid-۱۹ prevalence (pvalue<۰.۰۰۱).Covid-۱۹ has no higher prevalence in RA patients taking classic DMARDs than in the general population. The most common medicine among RA patients was hydroxychloroquine, which could be one of the reasons why these people did not develop Covid-۱۹.