Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35366735›Full record

ReviewClinical rheumatology2022

COVID-19 among patients with giant cell arteritis: a single-centre observational study from Slovenia.

Jelka Kramarič, Rok Ješe, Matija Tomšič, Žiga Rotar, Alojzija Hočevar

Open access · bronzeAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Clinical rheumatology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jelka KramaričDepartment of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Vodnikova 62, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia. jelka.kramaric@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5438-1265
Rok JešeDepartment of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Vodnikova 62, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Matija TomšičDepartment of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Vodnikova 62, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Žiga RotarDepartment of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Vodnikova 62, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Alojzija HočevarDepartment of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Vodnikova 62, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
University of Ljubljana · SILjubljana University Medical Centre · SI

Funding

Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS P3-0314
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPatients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) represent a fragile population with an increased infection risk. In a recent study, older age, a higher number of comorbidities, higher disease activity and prednisolone ≥ 10 mg/day were associated with worse COVID-19 outcome. We aimed to evaluate the frequency and severity of COVID-19 in a well-defined GCA cohort.

methodsWe reviewed medical records of histologically and/or by imaging-proven GCA patients diagnosed between September 2011 and February 2020 at our secondary/tertiary centre and followed during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and February 2022 (24 months). Descriptive statistics were used to explore the studied population.

resultsOf 314 patients with GCA diagnosed for the first time during a 102-month period, 49 patients died before March 2020. Of the remaining 265 patients, 55 (20.8%) patients suffered from a total of 57 SARS-CoV-2 infections. We observed 44 (77.2%) mild and 13 (22.8%) severe COVID-19 episodes (the latter defined as needing hospitalization, death or thrombotic complication). Patients with severe COVID-19 were more likely to have arterial hypertension (12 [92.3%] vs. 25 [56.8%]; p = 0.022), cardiovascular disease (7 [53.8%] vs. 10 [22.7%]; p = 0.043) or obesity (5 [38.5%] vs. 5 [11.4%]; p = 0.038). Neither prednisolone dose 1-5 mg/day (p = 0.483) nor leflunomide use (p = 1.000) was associated with COVID-19 course. There were no significant differences in sex, age, GCA type, GCA disease duration and other comorbidities in patients with mild and severe COVID-19 in our cohort.

conclusionMore than a fifth of our GCA patients had severe COVID-19. Treatment with leflunomide or low doses of glucocorticoids were not associated with severe course in our cohort. Key Points • Treatment with leflunomide or low doses of glucocorticoids were not associated with worse COVID-19 outcome. • Outcomes of COVID-19 improved as the COVID-19 pandemic, prevention and treatment options evolved. • Arterial hypertension, cardiovascular disease or obesity were associated with severe COVID-19.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular DiseasesCOVID-19Giant Cell ArteritisHypertensionGlucocorticoidsHumansLeflunomideObesityObservational Studies as TopicPandemicsPrednisoloneSARS-CoV-2SloveniaGlucocorticoidsLeflunomidePrednisoloneCOVID-19Giant cell arteritisGlucocorticoidsLeflunomideOutcome assessment

Identifiers

PMID35366735
PMCPMC8976457
OpenAlexW4225818320

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.