Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

Urban Health Today

Latino patients who have a rheumatic disease have a higher risk for COVID-19 compared to the general population of Latinos, according to a study.&ldquo;Latino patients are overrepresented among cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID&#8208;19) and are at an increased risk for severe disease. Prevalence of COVID&#8208;19 in Latinos with rheumatic diseases are poorly reported,&rdquo; explained the study authors.Latino patients with rheumatic diseases in the Washington, D.C., area who were seen between April 1 and Oct. 15, 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. The study authors collected demographics, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and immunomodulatory therapies. They performed an exploratory Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis with logistic regression (LR) analyses to determine what factors were predictive of COVID-19 and flare-ups of rheumatic disease.A total of 178 patients were identified for the final analysis. Overall, 32 patients (18%) developed COVID-19. The rate of COVID-19 infection in <a href="https://www.docwirenews.com/urban-health-today/urban-health-picks/black-latinx-and-asian-patients-with-rheumatic-disease-are-more-likely-to-be-hospitalized-for-covid-19/">Latino patients</a> with rheumatic disease was three times as high as that of the general Latino population. None of the patients in the present study were admitted to the intensive care unit.Upon CART analysis, a correlation was observed between BMI &gt;30.35 kg/m2 and COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR], 3.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-7.7; P=0.004). COVID-19 was found to be a risk factor for flare-up of rheumatic disease (OR, 4.57; 95% CI, 1.2-17.4; P=0.02).The study was published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.41656">Arthritis &amp; Rheumatology</a>.The researchers recommended that, &ldquo;Latino patients with risk factors should be followed closely, especially post&#8208;COVID&#8208;19 in anticipation of disease flare.&rdquo;Previous studies have found that racial minorities have been <a href="https://www.docwirenews.com/urban-health-today/aha-blacks-hispanics-make-up-53-percent-of-covid-19-deaths/">disproportionately impacted by COVID-19</a>, and not just those with rheumatic diseases. &nbsp;A study published in <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.052278">Circulation</a> concluded that &ldquo;Black and Hispanic patients bore a greater burden of mortality and morbidity due to their disproportionate representation among COVID-19 hospitalizations.&rdquo;

Lou Portero

Hidden Dangers: The Blood Sugar Crisis in Modern Breast Cancer Treatment

Diabetes in Women

New ACG Guidelines Address Critical Gastric Cancer Disparities in Non-White Americans

Gastroenterology

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Increased Ovarian and Breast Cancer Risk

Gynecologic Cancer

Latest News

Latinos With Rheumatic Disease At An Increased Risk for COVID-19

COVID

Latino patients who have a rheumatic disease have a higher risk for COVID-19 compared to the general population of Latinos, according to a study.

Latinos With Rheumatic Disease at Increased Risk for COVID-19

About Us

Editorial Policy

Contributors & Partners

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Work With Us

Advertising

Career Center

GU Oncology Now

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

DocWire News

MashupMD

Food Allergy Roundtable Discussions

Allergy

Blood Cancers

— Multiple Myeloma

Breast Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

Prostate Cancer

Cancer

Diabetes

Heart Failure

Heart Disease Prevention

Heart Health

— Alzheimer’s Disease

Neurology

Public Health

Autoimmune Disease

Infectious Diseases

Obesity

Pediatrics

Sickle Cell Disease

Digital Health

Dermatology

Pulmonology

Video Insights

Workforce News

More

Heart Disease in Women

Menopause

Reproductive Health

Women’s Neurology

Well Woman Today

Roundtables

Podcasts

Conferences

Viewpoints

Subscribe