TY - JOUR
T1 - Updated APLAR consensus statements on care for patients with rheumatic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic
AU - Tam, Lai-Shan
AU - Tanaka, Yoshiya
AU - Handa, Rohini
AU - Li, Zhanguo
AU - Lorenzo, Jose Paulo
AU - Louthrenoo, Worawit
AU - Hill, Catherine
AU - Pile, Kevin
AU - Robinson, Philip C.
AU - Dans, Leonila F.
AU - Hsu, Li Yang
AU - Lee, Sang-Min
AU - Cho, Jiacai
AU - Hasan, A. T. M. Tanveer
AU - Salim, Babur
AU - Samreen, Saba
AU - Shaharir, Syahrul Sazliyana
AU - Wong, Priscilla
AU - Chau, Jeffrey
AU - Danda, Debashish
AU - Haq, Syed Atiqul
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Aim: To update previous guidance of the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) on the management of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Research questions were formulated focusing on diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with RMD within the context of the pandemic, including the management of RMD in patients who developed COVID-19. MEDLINE was searched for eligible studies to address the questions, and the APLAR COVID-19 task force convened 2 meetings through video conferencing to discuss its findings and integrate best available evidence with expert opinion. Consensus statements were finalized using the modified Delphi process. Results: Agreement was obtained around key aspects of screening for or diagnosis of COVID-19; management of patients with RMD without confirmed COVID-19; and management of patients with RMD with confirmed COVID-19. The task force achieved consensus on 25 statements covering the potential risk of acquiring COVID-19 in RMD patients, advice on RMD medication adjustment and continuation, the roles of telemedicine and vaccination, and the impact of the pandemic on quality of life and on treatment adherence. Conclusions: Available evidence primarily from descriptive research supported new recommendations for aspects of RMD care not covered in the previous document, particularly with regard to risk factors for complicated COVID-19 in RMD patients, modifications to RMD treatment regimens in the context of the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccination in patients with RMD.
AB - Aim: To update previous guidance of the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) on the management of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Research questions were formulated focusing on diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with RMD within the context of the pandemic, including the management of RMD in patients who developed COVID-19. MEDLINE was searched for eligible studies to address the questions, and the APLAR COVID-19 task force convened 2 meetings through video conferencing to discuss its findings and integrate best available evidence with expert opinion. Consensus statements were finalized using the modified Delphi process. Results: Agreement was obtained around key aspects of screening for or diagnosis of COVID-19; management of patients with RMD without confirmed COVID-19; and management of patients with RMD with confirmed COVID-19. The task force achieved consensus on 25 statements covering the potential risk of acquiring COVID-19 in RMD patients, advice on RMD medication adjustment and continuation, the roles of telemedicine and vaccination, and the impact of the pandemic on quality of life and on treatment adherence. Conclusions: Available evidence primarily from descriptive research supported new recommendations for aspects of RMD care not covered in the previous document, particularly with regard to risk factors for complicated COVID-19 in RMD patients, modifications to RMD treatment regimens in the context of the pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccination in patients with RMD.
UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:60943
U2 - 10.1111/1756-185X.14124
DO - 10.1111/1756-185X.14124
M3 - Article
SN - 1756-1841
VL - 24
SP - 733
EP - 745
JO - International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
JF - International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases
IS - 6
ER -
