Risks of COVID-19 in people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Studying the risks of COVID-19 to people with rare autoimmune rheumatic disease, and assessing potential health inequalities resulting from disruption to healthcare during COVID-19.
IRAS ID
282765
Contact name
Fiona Pearce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
People living with autoimmune rheumatic diseases are prescribed medications which can dampen their immune system and immune response called immunosupressants. They also tend to have multiple medical conditions as a consequence of their disease and treatment. We think they may be at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 infection which is why many have received letters from the NHS asking them to practice enhanced social distancing. We don’t have any evidence about how big their risk is from COVID-19, nor whether changing or stopping treatment would make their risk lower. There has been difficulty contacting people because no central list exists. \nWe plan to bring together the existing health records of all people in England with autoimmune rheumatic conditions, and combine this with information about their medicines, and what happened to those who have had COVID-19.\nWe will then find out:\n1)\tAre people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 than the general population?\n2)\tFor people who require immunosuppression for rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases, are some diseases or treatments associated with a lower risk of severe illness from COVID-19 than others?\n3)\tHave the wider healthcare changes due to COVID-19 reduced the number of people receiving a new diagnosis of a rare autoimmune disease (and therefore made it more difficult to access appropriate treatment)? The results will be used to inform the decision-makers of healthcare policy and give clinicians and patients a better understanding of the actual risk.This study has been adopted by PHE, and we are seeking funding from the NIHR. [Study relying on COPI notice]
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/HRA/2076
Date of REC Opinion
19 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion