The prevalence of self-quarantine for preventing COVID 19 involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who used Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs

Abstract

Introduction: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that is treated with classic Disease-Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), which impair the immune system. It seems that self-quarantine is a good method for CVOID-19 prevention in patients with RA. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assessment the prevalence of self-quarantine for preventing COVID 19 involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who used Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Methods and Materials: in this descriptive study that was performed in Loghman-Hakim Hospital (Tehran, Iran), patients with RA who took classic DMARDs and were referred to the hospital were assessed based on age, sex, medications, smoking, history of Covid-19 in a relatives, Covid-19 involvement in the patient, Covid-19 symptoms, and observing self-quarantine. Result: the mean age was 53.84 years old and 27.7% were male of one thousand patients with RA who took classic DMARDs. Covid-19 prevalence among these patients was 10.4%. The prevalence of COVID-19 was 21% among patients who didn’t observe self-quarantine and 9.2% among patients who observed self-quarantine. Self-quarantine lowered the risk of Covid-19 by around 60%. Conclusion: self-quarantine is a good method to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 among RA patients who used classic DMARDs.