Kalyoncu, UmutPehlivan, YavuzAkar, ServetKaşifoğlu, TimuçinKimyon, G.Karadağ, Ö.Kiraz, SedatMercan, Rıdvan2022-05-112022-05-1120211300-0144https://doi.org/10.3906/sag-2012-5https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11776/4875Background/aim: To evaluate treatment adherence and predictors of drug discontinuation among patients with inflammatory arthritis receiving bDMARDs within the first 100 days after the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods: A total of 1871 patients recorded in TReasure registry for whom advanced therapy was prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or spondyloarthritis (SpA) within the 3 months (6–9 months for rituximab) before the declaration of COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated, and 1394 (74.5%) responded to the phone survey. Patients’ data regarding demographic, clinical characteristics and disease activity before the pandemic were recorded. The patients were inquired about the diagnosis of COVID-19, the rate of continuation on bDMARDs, the reasons for treatment discontinuation, if any, and the current general disease activity (visual analog scale, [VAS]). Results: A total of 1394 patients (493 RA [47.3% on anti-TNF] patients and 901 SpA [90.0% on anti-TNF] patients) were included in the study. Overall, 2.8% of the patients had symptoms suggesting COVID-19, and 2 (0.15%) patients had PCR-confirmed COVID-19. Overall, 18.1% of all patients (13.8% of the RA and 20.5% of the SpA; p = 0.003) discontinued their bDMARDs. In the SpA group, the patients who discontinued bDMARDs were younger (40 [21–73] vs. 44 years [20–79]; p = 0.005) and had higher general disease activity; however, no difference was relevant for RA patients. Conclusion: Although the COVID-19 was quite uncommon in the first 100 days of the pandemic, nearly one-fifth of the patients discontinued bDMARDs within this period. The long-term effects of the pandemic should be monitored. © TÜBİTAK.en10.3906/sag-2012-5info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessBiologic DMARDsCOVID-19Rheumatoid arthritisSpondyloarthritisabataceptadalimumabcertolizumab pegoldisease modifying antirheumatic drugetanerceptgolimumabhydroxychloroquineinfliximableflunomidemethotrexaterituximabsalazosulfapyridinesecukinumabtocilizumabantirheumatic agentadultagedAnkylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity ScoreArticleBath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity indexBath ankylosing spondylitis functional indexcohort analysiscoronavirus disease 2019Crohn Disease Activity IndexDAS28disease activitydrug withdrawalerythrocyte sedimentation ratefemaleHealth Assessment Questionnairehealth statushumanmajor clinical studymaleobservational studypandemicpolymerase chain reactionprospective studyquestionnaireremissionrheumatoid arthritisSimplified Disease Activity Indexspondylarthritisvisual analog scaleadolescentmedication compliancemiddle agedpandemicregisterrheumatoid arthritisvery elderlyyoung adultAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAntirheumatic AgentsArthritis, RheumatoidCohort StudiesCOVID-19FemaleHumansMaleMedication AdherenceMiddle AgedPandemicsProspective StudiesRegistriesSARS-CoV-2Young AdultArticle51416151623Q3WOS:0006915447000022-s2.0-8511428983633611869Q3