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Background. The pandemic situation of the novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) and its associated disease (coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)) represents a challenging condition with a plethora of aspects. The course of COVID-19 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatic diseases (RD) is not well known. Our study is one step toward closing this gap by collecting data on vaccination rates, infection-free survival, and individual symptom severity. Methods. We conducted a prospective questionnaire-based study between April 2022 and October 2022 at our university hospital. Outward patients over the age of 18 years were screened for participation and reported about their infection/infection-free survival since the start of the pandemic. Results. Finally, 156 patients were included in the study, 117 (75.0%) of which had inflammatory bowel disease and 39 (25.0%) patients with rheumatic disease. Altogether, 143 (91.7%) persons had received at least one vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. A total of 153 patients provided information regarding their COVID-19 history: 81 patients (52.0%) self-reported about their SARS-CoV-2 infection. In general, courses of infection were mild: only two patients (2.5% of patients with reported COVID-19) were hospitalized due to COVID-19 with one (1.2%) of the two needing intensive care. Asymptomatic COVID-19 had been described by 7 persons (8.6% of patients with reported COVID-19). Acute COVID-19 was accompanied by fatigue/tiredness in 58 persons (71.6% of patients with history of COVID-19) as the most frequent symptom. Other complaints were common cold (55 patients = 67.9%), cough (51 patients = 63.0%), headache (44 patients = 54.3%), and fever (35 patients = 43.2%). Stratified by vaccination status (unvaccinated vs. at least once vaccinated), the time to infection differed significantly (logrank test: p = 0.04 , Chi2 4.1). At least once vaccinated people had a median COVID-19-free survival of 28.5 months (confidence interval (CI): 23.6 months-not reached). Without any vaccination, the estimated time to infection was 25.1 months (CI: 23.6 months-not reached). Conclusion. Our IMID patients have a high rate of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Data show a significantly longer infection-free survival in vaccinated IMID patients as compared to unvaccinated patients. Discrimination between symptoms of COVID-19 and a concomitant inflammatory disease is difficult as complaints might be overlapping. This trial is registered with DRKS00028880. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk for infections. This study investigated the outcome and characteristics of CTD patients under intensive care unit (ICU) treatment for sepsis. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted and reviewed all patients with a CTD diagnosis admitted to the ICU of a university hospital for sepsis between 2006 and 2019. Mortality was computed and multivariate logistic regression was used to detect independent risk factors for sepsis mortality. Furthermore, the positive predictive value of ICU scores such as Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was evaluated. Results: This study included 44 patients with CTD (mean age 59.8 ± 16.1 years, 68.2% females), most of them with a diagnosed SLE (61.4%) followed by systemic sclerosis (15.9%). 56.8% (n = 25) were treated with immunosuppressives and 81.8% (n = 36) received glucocorticoids. Rituximab was used in 3 patients (6.8%). The hospital mortality of septic CTD patients was high with 40.9%. It was highest among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients (85.7%). SOFA score and diagnosis of SSc were independently associated with mortality in multivariate logistic regression (P = 0.004 and 0.03, respectively). The Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), SOFA and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were good predictors of sepsis mortality in the investigated cohort (SAPS II AUC 0.772, P = 0.002; SOFA AUC 0.756, P = 0.004; APACHE II AUC 0.741, P = 0.007). Conclusions: In-hospital sepsis mortality is high in CTD patients. SSc diagnoses and SOFA were independently associated with mortality. Additionally, common ICU scores were good predictors for mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) T cells are expanded in the peripheral blood of a subset of patients with RA. This study examines the clinical significance of DP T cells in RA. Methods In 70 RA patients, DP T cells were measured by flow cytometry. Clinical data were obtained, and hand and feet radiographs were scored according to the Sharp/van der Heijde (SvdH) method. The association between DP T cell frequency and erosive joint destruction was analysed by correlation and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results Nineteen RA patients (27.1%) displayed increased DP T cell frequencies, which correlated with age (r  = 0.288, P =0.016). Expansion of DP T cells was associated with the occurrence of erosions (94,7% vs 43,1%, P <0.001), with a higher SvdH joint damage score (24.5 vs 6, P =0.008) and with more frequent use of biologic or targeted-synthetic DMARDs (68.4% vs 38%, P =0.02). In patients with non-erosive disease, DP T cell frequencies correlated with the joint space narrowing score (n  = 28, r  = 0.44, P =0.02). Logistic regression revealed DP T cells to be associated with erosive disease (OR 1.90, P <0.05). Conclusion Expansion of DP T cells is associated with joint damage and frequent escalation of therapy, possibly suggesting a contribution to more severe RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background: Vasculitis patients have a high risk for infections that may require intensive care unit (ICU) treatment in case of resulting sepsis. Since data on sepsis mortality in this patient group is limited, the present study investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of vasculitis patients admitted to the ICU for sepsis. Methods: The medical records of all necrotizing vasculitis patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital for sepsis in a 13-year period have been reviewed. Mortality was calculated and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for sepsis mortality. Moreover, the predictive power of common ICU scores was further evaluated. Results: The study included 34 patients with necrotizing vasculitis (mean age 69 + 9.9 years, 35.3% females). 47.1% (n = 16) were treated with immunosuppressives (mostly cyclophosphamide, n = 35.3%) and 76.5% (n = 26) received glucocorticoids. Rituximab was used in 4 patients (11.8%). The inhospital mortality of septic vasculitis patients was 41.2%. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (p = 0.003) was independently associated with mortality in multivariate logistic regression. Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and SOFA scores were good predictors of sepsis mortality in the investigated vasculitis patients (APACHE II AUC 0.73, p = 0.02; SAPS II AUC 0.81, p < 0.01; SOFA AUC 0.898, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Sepsis mortality was high in vasculitis patients. SOFA was independently associated with mortality in a logistic regression model. SOFA and other well-established ICU scores were good mortality predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a high risk of infections that may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission in case of resulting sepsis. Data regarding the mortality of these patients are very limited. This study investigated clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with RA admitted to the ICU for sepsis and compared the results to a control cohort without RA. Methods: All patients with RA as well as sex-, age-, and admission year-matched controls admitted to the ICU of a university hospital for sepsis between 2006 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Mortality was calculated for both the groups, and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine independent risk factors for sepsis mortality. The positive predictive value of common ICU scores was also investigated. Results: The study included 49 patients with RA (mean age 67.2 ± 9.0 years, 63.3% females) and 51 matched controls (mean age 67.4 ± 9.5 years, 64.7% females). Among the patients with RA, 42.9% (n = 21) were treated with conventional synthetic (cs) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and 30.6% (n = 15) received glucocorticoids only. Seven (14.3%) patients received biologic (b) DMARDs. The hospital mortality was higher among patients with RA (42.9% vs 15.7%, P = .0016). Rheumatoid arthritis was independently associated with mortality in multivariate logistic regression (P = .001). In patients with RA, renal replacement therapy (P = .024), renal failure (P = .027), and diabetes mellitus (P = .028) were independently associated with mortality. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were good predictors of sepsis mortality in patients with RA (APACHE II area under the curve [AUC]: 0.78, P = .001; SAPS II AUC: 0.78, P < .001; SOFA AUC 0.78, P < .001), but their predictive power was higher among controls. Conclusions: Hospital sepsis mortality was higher in patients with RA than in controls. Rheumatoid arthritis itself is independently associated with an increased sepsis mortality. Renal replacement therapy, renal failure, and diabetes were associated with an increased mortality. Common ICU scores were less well predictors of sepsis mortality in patients with RA compared to non-RA controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methotrexate (MTX) is the primarily used disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). MTX is a safe agent, even when used for years - provided that treatment is regularly monitored and prescribers follow some simple rules, such as prescribing tablets of a single strength only. Proper patient education contributes greatly to safe treatment. The knowledge of important pharmacologic facts, possible interactions, and clinical warning signs also helps to prevent or recognize intoxications early. Therefore, this review addresses key aspects regarding the safety of MTX. In this respect, it includes adverse events, possible interactions with frequently used drugs and details on the rare but life-threatening intoxication, e.g., due to erroneous daily intake., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)