COVID Outcomes in Dermatomyositis Save

A retrospective study of dermatomyositis (DM) patients with COVID-19, shows that DM patients without comorbidities fair well (with regard to mortality and hospitalisation).

A matched retrospective cohort analysis of patients with DM and COVID-19 and the general population with COVID-19 (January 2020 to August 2021) using the TriNetX database. COVID-19 outcomes included as mortality, hospitalisation, ICU admission, severe COVID-19, mechanical ventilation (MV), acute kidney injury (AKI), venous thromboembolism (VTE), ischemic stroke, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), renal replacement therapy (RRT) and sepsis. 

A total of 5,574 DM patients with COVID-19, and 5,574 COVID-19 controls were compared.

• DM with COVID-19 had a lower risk of mortality in comparison to controls [RR 0.76], hospitalisation [RR 0.8], severe COVID-19 [RR 0.76], AKI [RR 0.83], and sepsis [RR 0.73].
• Among DM with COVID - Males and African Americans were more likely to develop AKI [RR 1.35, 1.65]
• African Americans had higher odds for severe COVID-19 [RR 1.62] and VTE [RR 1.54].
• DM with ILD group also experienced higher odds for severe COVID-19 infection [RR 1.64], and VTE [RR 2.06]
• DM with COVID receiving DMARDs and glucocorticoids had higher risk of hospitalisation [RR 1.46, 2.12], and sepsis [RR 3.25, 2.4] 

Advers COVID-19 outcomes in dermatomyositis patients were more likely with comorbidities, black race, male gender, ILD, DMARDS and glucocorticoid use.