AB0676 FEARS AND HOPES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES. RESULTS FROM THE REUMAVID STUDY (PHASE 1)
Authors: M. Garrido-Cumbrera, H. Marzo-Ortega, L. Christen, L. Carmona, J. Correa-Fernández, S. Sanz-Gómez, P. Plazuelo-Ramos, D. Webb, C. Jacklin, S. Irwin, L. Grange, S. Makri, E. Mateus, S. Mingolla, K. Antonopoulou, V. Navarro-Compán
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2021)

Background: The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapidly evolving global crisis characterized by major uncertainty. Objectives: The objective is to assess COVID-19-related fears and hopes in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods: REUMAVID is an international collaboration led by the Health &amp; Territory Research group at the University of Seville, together with a multidisciplinary team including patient organisations and rheumatologists. This cross-sectional study consisting of an online survey gathering data from 1,800 patients with a diagnosis of 15 RMDs recruited by patient organisations in Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and, the United Kingdom. Data are collected in two phases, the first phase between April and July 2020, the second in 2021. Participants rated a series of fears (infection, medication consequences, lack of medication, impact on healthcare, job loss, civil disorder) on a Likert scale from zero (“no concern at all”) to five (“extremely concerned”) and their hopes (treatment/vaccine availability, going outside, travel, economic situation, treatment continuation, health status) on a Likert scale from zero (“not hopeful at all”) to five (“extremely hopeful”). The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to analyse the different fears and hopes according to socio-demographics characteristics, disease and health status. Results: 1,800 patients participated in the first phase of REUMAVID. The most frequent RMDs group was inflammatory arthritis (75.4%), the mean age was 52.6 years and 80.1% were female. The most important fear for patients was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare (3.1 out of 5), particularly for those younger in age (3.0 vs 3.2, p=0.004), female gender (3.2 vs 2. 9 of men, p=0.003), experiencing greater pain (3.1 vs 2.8, p=0.007), with higher risk of anxiety (3.3 vs 2.9 of without anxiety, p&lt;0.001) and depression (3.3 vs 2.9 without depression, p&lt;0.001). The possible impact of anti-rheumatic medication and the development of severe disease if they became infected with COVID-19,was mostly feared (2.8 out of 5), by those receiving biological therapy (3.1 vs 2.5 not biological therapy, p&lt;0.001) or those with underlying anxiety (2.9 vs 2.6 without anxiety, p=0.007). The risk of contracting COVID-19 due to their condition (2.8 out of 5), was especially feared by those with vasculitis (3.2 out of 5), who were female (2.9 vs 2.5, p&lt;0.001), using biologics (2. 9 vs 2.7 of no use, p=0.003), in greater pain (2.8 vs 2.4, p&lt;0.001), with a risk of anxiety (3.0 vs 2.6 without anxiety, p=0.004), and risk of depression (3.0 vs 2.6 without depression, p&lt;0.001). The major hopes were to be able to continue with their treatment as usual (3.7 out of 5), particularly for those taking biologics (3.8 vs 3.6 not taking, p=0.026), those with a better well-being (3.8 vs 3.6 with worse well-being, p=0.021), without anxiety (3.8 vs 3.6 at risk, p=0.004) and without depression (3.8 vs 3.6 at risk, p=0.007). Hoping not to become infected with COVID-19 and to maintain the same health status, were especially those who were older (3.6 vs 3.4 p=0.018) without anxiety (3.4 vs 3.6 at risk, p=0.005), and without depression (3.6 vs 3.4 at risk, p=0.006). Another important hope was the availability of a treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, which was important for patients experiencing better well-being (3.3 vs 3.0 with worse well-being, p&lt;0.001; Figure 1). Conclusion: The outstanding COVID-19-related fear expressed by European patients with RMDs was its impact on healthcare, while the greatest hope was to be able to continue treatment. Younger patients reported more fears while older patients were more hopeful. Those receiving biologics had greater fears and hopes associated with their treatment. In addition, patients at risk of mental disorders presented greater fears and less hopes. Figure 1. Fears and Hopes of REUMAVID participants Acknowledgements: This study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG. We would like to thank all patients that completed the survey as well as all of the patient organisations that participated in the REUMAVID study including: the Cyprus League Against Rheumatism (CYPLAR) from Cyprus, the Association Française de Lutte Anti-Rhumatismale (AFLAR) from France, the Hellenic League Against Rheumatism (ELEANA) from Greece, the Associazione Nazionale Persone con Malattie Reumatologiche e Rare (APMARR) from Italy, the Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases (LPCDR), from Portugal, the Spanish Federation of Spondyloarthritis Associations (CEADE), the Spanish Patients’ Forum (FEP), UNiMiD, Spanish Rheumatology League (LIRE), Andalusian Rheumatology League (LIRA), Catalonia Rheumatology League and Galician Rheumatology League from Spain, and the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS), National Rheumatoid Arthritis (NRAS) and Arthritis Action from the United Kingdom. Disclosure of Interests: Marco Garrido-Cumbrera: None declared, Helena Marzo-Ortega Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Biogen, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Takeda and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis, Laura Christen Employee of: Novartis Pharma AG, Loreto Carmona: None declared, José Correa-Fernández: None declared, Sergio Sanz-Gómez: None declared, Pedro Plazuelo-Ramos: None declared, Dale Webb Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Biogen, Janssen, Lilly, Novartis and UCB., Clare Jacklin Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi &amp; UCB, Shantel Irwin: None declared, LAURENT GRANGE: None declared, Souzi Makri Grant/research support from: Novartis, GSK and Bayer., Elsa Mateus Grant/research support from: Lilly Portugal, Sanofi, AbbVie, Novartis, Grünenthal S.A., MSD, Celgene, Medac, Janssen-Cilag, Pharmakern, GAfPA., Serena Mingolla: None declared, KATY ANTONOPOULOU: None declared, Victoria Navarro-Compán Grant/research support from: Abbvie, BMS, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB