Erschienen in:
04.05.2021 | COVID-19 | Observational Research
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Use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with inflammatory arthritis: a retrospective study on feasibility and impact on patient-reported outcomes in a real-life setting
verfasst von:
Michel Chevallard, Laura Belloli, Nicola Ughi, Antonella Adinolfi, Cinzia Casu, Maria Di Cicco, Davide Antonio Filippini, Marina Muscarà, Emanuela Schito, Elisa Verduci, Maria Giovanna Gentile, Bartolomeo Di Rosa, Laura Zoppini, Cristina Carli, Chiara Destefani, Angela Luisi, Emanuela Marta Vincenti, Oscar Massimiliano Epis
Erschienen in:
Rheumatology International
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Ausgabe 7/2021
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Abstract
Close follow-up is mandatory in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, rheumatological care was rapidly reorganized during the first peak from March 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020, and all patients with RA, PsA, and AS being treated with a subcutaneous biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug or oral targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug were followed remotely. A retrospective database analysis of these 431 patients before and after this period is presented herein. A rheumatologist directly contacted all patients by telephone. Patients could also enter data on patient-reported outcomes remotely using the digital platform iAR Plus. General health (GH) and visual analog scale (VAS) pain were the main outcomes along with FACIT and disease-specific questionnaires (RADAI, ROAD, PROCLARA for RA, and BASDAI, BASGI, BASFI for AS). In all, 449 visits were postponed (69.9% of all scheduled visits); telephone evaluation was deemed inadequate in 193 instances, and patients underwent a standard outpatient visit. Comparing patients on telemedicine to those who underwent hospital visits, we found no statistically significant differences in GH (35.3 vs 39.3; p = 0.24), VAS (33.3 vs 37.1; p = 0.29), or other specific outcome measures in patients with RA, PsA, or AS. These results show that telemedicine has undoubted benefits, and in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that many patients with these diseases may prefer it.