Rheumatic patients report lower anxiety, self-isolation levels after initial lockdown

Patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD) have reduced levels of anxiety and self-isolation following the initial lockdown period brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, reports a study.

“Half of the patients reported self-isolation in May 2021, a phase that included widespread reopening of society and large-scale vaccination,” the researchers said.

A nationwide online survey was done in May 2020, November 2020, and May 2021 to explore anxiety and self-isolation in patients with IRD in the Danish Rheumatology Quality Registry. Participants were asked about the effects of the pandemic, including SARS-CoV-2 infection and their behaviour, anxiety, and concerns.

The May 2021 survey included attitudes toward SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccination. The researchers then performed adjusted logistic regression analyses to assess the characteristics associated with self-isolation in May 2021, including patient characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status.

A total of 12,789, 14,755, and 13,921 patients participated in surveys 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Of these, 64 percent had rheumatoid arthritis and 63 percent were female.

Anxiety and concerns were highest in May 2020, which decreased to stable levels in November 2020 and May 2021. Of the respondents, 86 percent, 50 percent, and 52 percent reported self-isolation, respectively. In the last survey, 4 percent self-reported being infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Acceptance rate of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among participants was 86 percent, and the number of patients vaccinated against influenza had increased from 50 percent in winter 2019‒2020 to 64 percent in winter 2020‒2021.

The presence of anxiety among patients appeared similar between individuals vaccinated and unvaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Multivariable analyses revealed the independent association of being unvaccinated, female gender, biologic drug treatment, and poor quality of life with self-isolation.

“The lack of prepandemic data prevented a full understanding of the long-term effects of the pandemic on anxiety and self-isolation in patients with IRD,” the researchers said.