Autoimmune-Rheum Dz (AIRD) flares occur in 10% w/ COVID vaccination, esp in pts w/ comorbidities, autoimmune morbidities & mental health disorders & Moderna vaccine. 3453 AIRD pts who recv Vax 9.5-11.3% had clinical flares (Arthritis 62% & fatigue 59%) https://t.co/RCtQnA9vc9 https://t.co/G5cXukkpUB

Great #RNL2023 Plenary with "Miracle Larry" after 128 days in hospital for COVID-19, on 3-year anniversary of going into coma "I am the expert on what this virus can do. I don't want the world to ever forget" @RheumNow https://t.co/kTuDXDhTtQ

Tremendously emotional (and unfiltered) first person account of his fight with COVID-19 by Miracle Larry who thanked our Dr. Cush @RheumNow for his ingenuity in fighting COVID-19, thanking healthcare workers for all they do, and reminding us to be empathic. #RNL2023 https://t.co/i0D7r8dR8n

Lancet metanalysis shows pts infected w/ SARS-CoV2 are conferred very high degree of re-infx from pre-omicron variants, even after 40 weeks. Protection was lower for omicron BA.1 & declined over time. Protection from severe Dz was high for all variants. https://t.co/RNgYVWQfNo https://t.co/J8U37NYXPP

CDC: Nursing home residents not up to date w/COVID-19 vaccines have 30%–50% higher risk for COVID infx vs those up to date. Betw 2022-23 Those vax had COVID rate of 7.2-15.6/1000pts vs 9.5-18.8/1000 pt in those unvaccinated. https://t.co/Eem2H5AMoN https://t.co/o2ZyPVswZp

UK Database 1,955 breakthrough COVID-19 infxs in 54,576 #gout pts compared to 52,468 w/o gout saw more in gout (adj HR 1.24), also w/ more #COVID hospitalizations (adj HR 1.30) & death (1.36), more so in women. Same for unvaccinated https://t.co/596KvupZxi https://t.co/BJJguQBdin

Autoimmune Dz may be assoc w/ new-onset Atrial Fibrillation, esp in women. Population-based UK Biobank found significant increases for AFib in Rheumatic fever w/o CVD (HR 1.47), Crohn’ (1.23), UC(1.17), RA (1.39), PAN (1.82), SLE (1.82), PSS (2.32) https://t.co/rpIiztUfg9 https://t.co/FWmLiZ6x1S

Should Kids w/ MIS-C get the COVID vaccine? Yes - study of 385 pt > 5 yrs w/ Hx of multisystem inflammatory syndrome showed no serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination. The safety profile of COVID-19 vax is same as gen population https://t.co/dr2QBQsMhE? https://t.co/WbsUuYEsez

On Wednesday 12/21 the FDA approved tocilizumab (Actemra; 8 mg/kg, 60-min IV infusion ) for hospitalized COVID-19 on steroids, supplemental O2 & req ventilation, or ECMO; 1st MAb approved for COVID-19; Prev EUA issued in June 2021 https://t.co/BswLu4ZY5O https://t.co/7gpPkeoPZ4

COVID-19 Vaccine Responses in Rheumatic Disease Patients Nature Reviews Rheumatology features a review of three notable papers that address the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on people with inflammatory rheumatic disease. https://t.co/R9UM3amPRR. https://t.co/WmHyVKdsxw