Abstract

CABRERA-VILLALBA, Sonia et al. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in paraguayan patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Rev. parag. reumatol. [online]. 2023, vol.9, n.2, pp.53-57.  Epub Dec 30, 2023. ISSN 2413-4341.  https://doi.org/10.18004/rpr/2023.09.02.53.

Introduction: Vaccination in populations exposed to increased risk of severe disease and death consequent to SARS-CoV-2 infection has generated a major impact on global Public Health. Certainly, the benefit has been evidenced mostly in people with chronic comorbidities, where rheumatoid arthritis (RA) plays an important role. Objective: To analyze vaccination against Sars-CoV-2 in paraguayan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the COVID19 pandemic. Methods: A multicenter study was carried out, in which a cohort of patients with RA was analyzed cross-sectionally, during the period from October to December 2022. For the study, clinical-epidemiological and vaccination-related variables were recorded (i.e. access to vaccination, type, number of doses). A descriptive analysis of the variables was carried out with the R-4.3.2 software. Results: 568 patients were included, 84.1% were female, with an average age of 55.5±13.9 years. 88.7% (504) patients received at least one dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, 85% (483) received two doses, while 60.9% (344) patients received the first booster, and 21.2% the second booster. Conclusions: In this series of Paraguayan patients with RA the percentage of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was higher than that registered in the general population of the country. This could be related to the priority of this population to access vaccines and the insistence of their physicians to complete the vaccination schedule.

Keywords : Vaccination; COVID-19; rheumatoid arthritis.

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