COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases in northern Italy: a single-centre observational and case–control study
Micaela Fredi, MD
Ilaria Cavazzana, MD
Liala Moschetti, MD
Laura Andreoli, MD
Franco Franceschini, MD
on behalf of theBrescia Rheumatology COVID-19 Study Group †
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Published:June 18, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30169-7
Summary
Background
The highest number of COVID-19 cases in Italy have been reported in Lombardy, a region in northern Italy. We aimed to analyse the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases living in a district of Lombardy with a high prevalence of COVID-19.
Methods
We did a single-centre observational study at the Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy. We collected data from patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases enrolled in our outpatient clinic to identify confirmed or possible cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data were collected through a survey that was administered via telephone or in the outpatient clinic by rheumatologists. We also did a case–control study of all patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases who were admitted to the ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia during the study period. Cases were matched by age, sex, and month of hospital admission to at least two controls admitted to the same hospital for COVID-19 pneumonia during the study period.