According to current data, there were 20% fewer rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses in the first year of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Researchers from King’s College London‘s analysis, which was published today in The Lancet Rheumatology, suggests that up to one-fifth of newly identified cases may not have received a diagnosis, with cases not increasing over pre-2020 levels. This shows that many of these individuals have not seen their primary care physician or undergone a hospital specialist’s evaluation. There didn’t seem to be any greater delays in the initiation of therapy for patients who received a diagnosis during the pandemic, though.
The study assessed how various forms of arthritis were identified and treated in England during the first two years of the epidemic.
The joints and spine are most affected by the autoimmune disorders rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Chronic pain brought on by these illnesses might reduce a person’s mobility. These diseases can result in persistent impairment owing to joint deterioration, diminished function, time away from work, and decreased quality of life if diagnosis and treatment are postponed. The results for people with these forms of arthritis are improved by early identification and therapy. Once a diagnosis has been made, patients can begin very effective therapy to manage their symptoms and stop permanent harm.
Through a nationwide auditing process, the standard of care for patients with rheumatoid arthritis is evaluated annually. The epidemic delayed these audits, making it difficult to compare patient care.
King’s College London researchers examined how the pandemic affects the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis using OpenSAFELY, a highly secure health data platform. They were able to examine the care for 31,000 persons who had new diagnoses of arthritis between April 2019 and March 2022 from a study population of approximately 17 million people in England.
According to the findings, compared to the year prior to the pandemic, the number of newly diagnosed cases of arthritis decreased by 20% in the year following the first COVID-19 lockdown. As COVID-19 cases increased, the number of diagnoses of arthritis decreased once again before leveling off by April 2022. After limits were lifted, researchers did not observe a comeback in diagnoses, indicating that there is probably a significant number of individuals who are undiagnosed.
Importantly, the study revealed that it took less patients diagnosed during the pandemic less time to be evaluated by a hospital specialist than it did prior to the epidemic. This might be because there were fewer hospital referrals overall and more virtual appointments used during the pandemic.
Additionally, the percentage of patients who began therapy both before and during the epidemic was comparable. However, during the pandemic, doctors prescribed less potent but seen as safer drugs more frequently. This may be connected to clinicians’ worries regarding the impact of harsher drugs on COVID-19 infections.
“This study emphasizes that there are likely to be people experiencing joint discomfort and swelling who stay untreated as a result of the pandemic,” said lead author Dr. Mark Russell of King’s College London. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor right away because rheumatoid arthritis is one disorder that benefits substantially from early diagnosis and treatment in terms of patient outcomes and likelihood of disease remission.
“This study’s key finding is that routinely gathered health data can be used to evaluate the quality of care provided to people with long-term health issues. This strategy could be used to address a variety of different chronic health issues and give clinicians and NHS organizations feedback in order to improve patient treatment.
