COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the American Midwest: The Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN)

Baptiste Chevet, Gabriel Figueroa-Parra, Jeffrey X. Yang, Cassondra A. Hulshizer, Tina M. Gunderson, Stephanie Q. Duong, Michael S. Putman, Kamil E. Barbour, Cynthia S. Crowson, Alí Duarte-García

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at higher risk of poor outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The vaccination rate among such patients is unknown. We aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccine uptake among patients with SLE. Methods. We included 342 patients with SLE from the Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN) and 350 age-, sex-, race-, and county-matched comparators. Vaccination uptake for influenza, pneumococcal, and zoster vaccines before pandemic restrictions began (up to February 29, 2020) was assessed. First-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake was electronically retrieved and manually ascertained (December 15, 2020, to July 31, 2021). Time to COVID-19 vaccination, demographics, SLE manifestations, medications, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Area Deprivation Index, and Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes were compared. Results. On July 31, 2021, 83.3% of patients with SLE and 85.5% of comparators were vaccinated against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination rates were similar among SLE and comparators (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.79-1.10). Unvaccinated patients with SLE were more likely than vaccinated patients to be men (27.3% vs 14.1%), younger (mean age 54.1 vs 58.8 yrs), have a shorter SLE duration (median 7.3 vs 10.7 yrs), and be less frequently vaccinated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccines. Conclusion. Patients with SLE in the Lupus Midwest Network had similar COVID-19 vaccination uptake as matched comparators, most of whom were vaccinated early when the vaccine became available. One in 6 patients with SLE remain unvaccinated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1276-1282
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Rheumatology
Volume49
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • hesitancy
  • immunization
  • systemic lupus erythematosus
  • vaccination
  • vaccine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Rheumatology
  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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