SHORT TERM CLINICAL COURSE OF COVID-19 IN PATIENTS WITH IMMUNE MEDIATED INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATIC DISEASE

Objective: To assess short term clinical course of COVID-19 in patients with immune mediated inflammatory rheumatic diseases managed at Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Study Design: Correlational study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Mar 2020 to May 2020. Methodology: Patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction having previously an immune mediated inflammatory rheumatic condition diagnosed by consultant medical specialist or rheuma-tologist were included in the study. They were followed up for three weeks after the positive polymerase chain reaction. Patients who became negative without any serious complications considered as having good prognosis while those who were shifted to intensive care unit or died were considered as having the poor prognosis. Results: A total of 87 patients with any of the immune mediated inflammatory rheumatic condition tested positive for COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction were included in the final analysis. 77 (88.5%) had uneventful recovery without any complications either at home or in routine wards while 8 (9.1%) needed oxygen and intensive care unit support while 2 (2.3%) died within three weeks of diagnosis of being positive for COVID-19. Increased age and long duration of illness were the factors significantly related to poor prognosis in our study. Conclusion: Short term course among patients with any of the immune mediated inflammatory rheumatic condition tested positive for COVID-19 on polymerase chain reaction was not found much different from the general population getting positive for COVID-19.