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Outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections: a single-center cohort of 167 patients with systemic rheumatic diseases

  • Observational Research
  • Published:
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Abstract

Data on COVID-19 re-infections in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) are lacking. We aimed to describe the course and outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections in these patients versus controls. In this single-center retrospective study, we included 167 consecutive SRD patients with at least one COVID-19 re-infection (mean age 47.3 years, females 70.7%). SRD patients were compared in terms of patient-perceived COVID-19 re-infection severity and hospitalizations/deaths with 167 age/sex-matched non-SRD controls. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess potential milder re-infection versus primary infection severity, adjusting for study group, demographics (age, sex), vaccination status, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidities. 23 and 7 out of 167 re-infected SRD patients experienced two and three re-infections, respectively, which were comparable to the re-infection rates in controls (two: 32; and three: 2) who also had comparable COVID-19 vaccination history (89% and 95% vaccinated, respectively). In the initial infection, patients with SRDs were hospitalized (7.2% versus 1.8%, p = 0.017), and had received antiviral treatment (16.1% versus 4.7%, p < 0.001) more frequently than controls. However, hospitalizations (1.8% vs 0.6%) and antiviral treatment (7.8% vs 3.5%) did not differ (p > 0.05) between patients and controls at the first re-infection, as well as during the second and third re-infection; no deaths were recorded. Perceived severity of re-infections was also comparable between patients and controls (p = 0.847) and among those on biologic DMARDs or not (p = 0.482). In multivariable analysis, neither SRDs presence nor demographics or comorbidities were associated with COVID-19 re-infection severity. COVID-19 re-infection severity (patient-perceived/hospitalizations/deaths) did not differ between SRDs and controls.

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Fig. 1

Data availability

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75 Str, Athens, Greece

    Alexandros Panagiotopoulos, George E. Fragoulis, Aikaterini Arida, Vassiliki-Kalliopi Bournia, Gerasimos Evangelatos, Kalliopi Fragkiadaki, Evrydiki Kravvariti, Katerina Laskari, Maria Mylona, Nikolaos Michalakeas, Nikolaos Papazoglou, Maria Pappa, Vassiliki Poulia, Stylianos Panopoulos, Sevastiani Ziarangali, Vasileios Papatheodorou, Maria G. Tektonidou & Petros P. Sfikakis

Authors
  1. Alexandros Panagiotopoulos
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  2. George E. Fragoulis
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  3. Aikaterini Arida
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  4. Vassiliki-Kalliopi Bournia
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  5. Gerasimos Evangelatos
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  6. Kalliopi Fragkiadaki
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  7. Evrydiki Kravvariti
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  8. Katerina Laskari
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  9. Maria Mylona
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  10. Nikolaos Michalakeas
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  11. Nikolaos Papazoglou
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  12. Maria Pappa
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  13. Vassiliki Poulia
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  14. Stylianos Panopoulos
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  15. Sevastiani Ziarangali
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  16. Vasileios Papatheodorou
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  17. Maria G. Tektonidou
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  18. Petros P. Sfikakis
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Contributions

Conception and design: PS, Data collection: all authors; data analysis: AP, GEF, PS; data interpretation: AP, GF, MT, PS; drafting manuscript: AP, GF, V-KB, MT, PS; revising manuscript: AP, GF, V-KB, MT, PS; final approval of the version to be published: all authors; agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work: all authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George E. Fragoulis.

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Panagiotopoulos, A., Fragoulis, G.E., Arida, A. et al. Outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections: a single-center cohort of 167 patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. Rheumatol Int (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-024-05573-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-024-05573-w

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