Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an underlying immune deficiency and typically treated with immunosuppressive drugs, which may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been found to possess antiviral activity against COVID-19. Thus, the aim of this study to investigate the ability of HCQ to reduce the risk of COVID-19 among RA patients.
Drug: Traditional antirheumatic drugs
Hydroxychloroqine, Methotrexate, Glucocorticoids, Leflunomide, and Sulphasalazine
Inclusion Criteria:
- Data of all definite cases of RA were collected and reviewed from complete medical
records of patients by a team that included 2 trained physicians using a pretested data
collection form.
Exclusion Criteria:
- The exclusion criteria were included incomplete medical records or those with
difficulty to communicate with the patients.
- Patients with acute lethal organ injury (e.g., acute myocardial infarction, acute
coronary syndrome, acute pulmonary embolism, or acute stroke)
- Patients with decompensated or end stage chronic organ dysfunction (e.g.,
decompensated cirrhosis, decompensated chronic renal insufficiency, or severe
congestive heart failure), diabetes mellitus, data of pregnant females, acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (aids), and leukemia or other malignancies.
Faculty of Medicine
Shibīn Al Kawm, Egypt