Fourth dose reduces risk for SARS-CoV-2 for patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using DMARDs<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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TUESDAY, Nov. 28, 2023 (HealthDay News) — For patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), receiving a fourth COVID-19 mRNA vaccine reduces the risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in The Lancet Rheumatology<\/em>.<\/p>\n Jennifer S. Hanberg, M.D., from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted an emulated target trial using observational data to compare receiving versus not receiving a fourth mRNA vaccine dose among patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases who were prescribed DMARDs. Data were included for 4,305 patients: 3,126 received a fourth dose, and 1,179 did not. After emulation of the time-sequential once-per-week trials and overlap propensity score weighting, both groups included 2,563 adults.<\/p>\n Of the 2,563 participants, 54.3 percent had rheumatoid arthritis; the most frequent treatments used were conventional synthetic DMARDs and biological DMARDs (58.1 and 39.3 percent, respectively). The researchers found that the risk for SARS-CoV-2 was lower among patients receiving versus not receiving a fourth vaccine dose (hazard ratio [HR], 0.59). The risk for admission to hospital or death within \u00e2\u0080\u00933 to +14 days of SARS-CoV-2 infection was also lower with receipt of a fourth vaccine dose (HR, 0.35).<\/p>\n “Patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases should be encouraged to receive at least four doses of mRNA vaccines,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text<\/a><\/p>\n