The hospitalization rate during SARS-CoV-2 infection, but not mortality, was considerably raised in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) people in comparison with spondyloarthritis (SpA) people. This study was carried to elucidate the differences in the outcomes of coronavirus infection in 208 patients with RA and SpA. Data from the German COVID-19 registry for people with common inflammatory rheumatic diseases were analyzed. In total, 208 RA and SpA patients were incorporated in the study, matched for age and gender.

Overall, 104 SpA people (6% with enteropathic arthritis, 54% with psoriatic arthritis, 40% people with ankylosing spondylitis) were compared to 104 RA people. For both RA and SpA participants, the median age was 56 years. Table 1 shows the number of patients using TNF-i therapy and glucocorticoids, no. of participants needing hospitalization and oxygen therapy, and no. of fatal courses. In both RA and SpA groups, the majority of the people recovered from coronavirus infection.

The findings can be explained either by different therapeutic strategies or by different susceptibilities of RA and SpA diseases.