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In a retrospective study, we evaluated factors associated with the early development of septic shock in patients with severe COVID-19.We collected medical records of the intensive care unit patients submitted by the local COVID-19 hospitals across Russia to the Federal Center for the Critical Care at the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University). Septic shock in crticially ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation was defined as a need in vasopressors to maintain blood pressure.We studied 1078 patients with severe COVID-19 who were admitted to the intensive care units for respiratory support. There were 611 males and 467 females. The mean age was 61.013.7 years. Five hundred twenty five medical records (48.7%) were received from the Moscow hospitals, 159 (14.7%) from the Moscow region, and 394 (36.5%) from the hospitals located in 58 regions of the Russian Federation. In 613 (56.9%) patients, diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed by PCR, and in the other cases it was established on the basis of the clinical picture and the results of the chest CT scan. Septic shock developed in 214 (19.9%) of 1078 patients. In the logistic regression model, the risk of septic shock in patients older than 50 years was higher than in patients of a younger age (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.533.67; p0.0001). In patients with more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, there was an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease and atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes and malignant tumors. The risk of septic shock in patients with three or more concomitant diseases was higher than in patients without any concomitant chronic diseases (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.762.70).The risk of septic shock in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by SARS-CoV-2 is higher in patients older than 50 years with concomitant diseases, although a severe course of the disease is also possible in younger patients without any concomitant disorders.Цель. Анализ факторов, ассоциированных с ранним развитием септического шока у больных с тяжелым течением COVID-19. Материалы и методы. В исследование включены данные всех пациентов, проконсультированных до 1 мая 2020 г. на базе Федерального дистанционного консультативного центра анестезиологии и реаниматологии на базе ФГАОУ ВО Первый МГМУ им. И.М. Сеченова (Сеченовский Университет). Критерием септического шока считали снижение артериального давления, требовавшее введения вазопрессорных средств. Результаты. В исследование включены 1078 пациентов, 611 (56,7%) мужчин и 467 (43,3%) женщин. Средний возраст составил 61,013,7 года; 525 (48,7%) заявок на консультацию получены из стационаров Москвы, 159 (14,7%) Московской области, 394 (36,5%) лечебных учреждений в 58 регионах Российской Федерации. У 613 (56,9%) больных диагноз SARS-CoV-2-инфекции подтвержден с помощью полимеразной цепной реакции, а в остальных случаях установлен на основании клинической картины и результатов компьютерной томографии органов грудной клетки. Развитие септического шока отмечено у 214 (19,9%) из 1078 больных. В логистической регрессионной модели риск его развития у пациентов старше 50 лет выше, чем у больных более молодого возраста (отношение шансов 2,34; 95% доверительный интервал 1,533,67; р0,0001). У пациентов с более тяжелым течением SARS-CoV-2 отмечалось увеличение частоты сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний в целом, ишемической болезни сердца, фибрилляции предсердий, сахарного диабета 2-го типа, частота злокачественных опухолей выше. Риск развития септического шока у пациентов с тремя и более сопутствующими заболеваниями оказался выше, чем у пациентов без сопутствующих болезней (отношение шансов 1,76; 95% доверительный интервал 1,762,70). Заключение. Риск развития септического шока у пациентов с острым респираторным дистресс-синдромом, вызванным SARS-CoV-2, выше у пациентов старше 50 лет, страдающих несколькими сопутствующими заболеваниями, хотя тяжелое течение заболевания возможно и у более молодых людей без какой-либо сопутствующей патологии.

The number of surgeries performed for the elderly and senile persons with concomitant cardiovascular pathology is increasing every year. It is in this category of patients that the likelihood of developing perioperative cardiac complications is highest, which requires the use of cardioprotective measures to reduce the risk of their occurrence. One of the options for cardioprotection may be the use of drugs aimed at improving metabolism and maintaining adequate energy supply to the myocardium. Such metabolic agent is exogenous phosphocreatine. This article provides an overview of studies on the use of exogenous phosphocreatine as a cardioprotector in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. The publications were searched for in PubMed / Medline, Embase, e-library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WANGFANG DATA. It has been shown that the use of phosphocreatine (PhC) in abdominal surgery, oncosurgery, during operations in traumatology, thoracic surgery, transplantation, as well as in intensive care units for sepsis and septic shock is associated with a decrease in the risk of cardiac complications and a reduction in mortality. Considering the above data on the positive cardioprotective effect of exogenous phosphocreatine in various surgeries, this protective agent can be recommended for wider application in clinical practice, especially in patients with high cardiac risk.

The medical scientific community is constantly looking for possible ways to successfully treat the new coronavirus infection COVID-19. With the accumulation of experience and knowledge on this issue, the Russian Federation of Anesthesiologists and Reanimatologists regularly updates recommendations on anesthesia and intensive care for patients with COVID-19. The current, 4th edition, like the previous ones, has undergone significant changes and clarifications. Important updates have been made in the sections on respiratory therapy, drug therapy, thromboprophylaxis, and the managing patients with concomitant diseases. Optimization vectors for the next edition of the recommendations on anesthesia and intensive care for patients with COVID-19 have been formulated and substantiated.

Purpose Perioperative myocardial dysfunction occurs frequently in cardiac surgery, and is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Levosimendan has been suggested to reduce mortality of patients with perioperative myocardial dysfunction. However, long-term outcome data on its efficacy in cardiac surgery are lacking. Materials and methods Cardiac surgery patients with perioperative myocardial dysfunction were randomized to levosimendan or placebo, in addition to standard inotropic care. One-year mortality data were collected. Results We randomized 506 patients (248 to levosimendan 258 to placebo). At 1-year follow-up, 41 patients (16.5%) died in the levosimendan group, while 47 (18.3%) died in the placebo group (absolute risk difference −1.8; 95% CI −8.4 to 4.9; P = .60). Female sex, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, previous myocardial infarction, serum creatinine, hematocrit, mean arterial pressure, and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass were independently associated with 1-year mortality. Conclusions Levosimendan administration does not improve 1-year survival in cardiac surgery patients with perioperative myocardial dysfunction. One-year mortality in these patients is 17%. Six predictive factors for long-term mortality were identified. Study registration number NCT00994825 ( ClinicalTrials.gov ).

ObjectivesThe tolerable ischemic time for many cardioplegia solutions has not been established yet. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of a single-dose of cardioplegia solution Normacor (solution No. 1) and to establish the tolerable ischemic time in a normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass mini-pig model on the background of intraoperative anemia.MethodsFive female mini-pigs (34±3 kg, 6-month-old) were subjected to 180 min or 210 min of cardiac arrest by single-dose 400 ml Normacor cardioplegia (solution No. 1). A needle biopsy was taken from the left ventricle before the aortic cross-clamping and every 30 minutes after it. The restoration of left ventricle contractility was assessed by the clinical indicators, catecholamine support, morphological and immunohistochemical examination.ResultsThe morphological signs of cardiomyocytes ischemia were found after 120 minutes of aortic cross-clamping. According to the content of succinate dehydrogenase and hypoxia-inducible factor, the signs of the cardiomyocytes ischemic injury onset were detected at the same time point. During the entire period of aortic cross-clamping atrial activity was observed in all cases. The proposed single-dose ischemic time for re-dosing of cardioplegia is 120 minutes or ventricular activity onset.ConclusionsSafe and effective cardioprotection can be achieved with warm blood cardioplegia Normacor (solution No. 1) within 120 minutes for a single-dose infusion.Graphical Abstract

The interest in percutaneous high-tech cardiac procedures has increased in recent years together with its safety and efficacy. In fragile patients, procedural sedation and analgesia are used to perform most of the procedures. General anesthesia remains the technique of choice during the team learning curve and might be required in selected patients or in emergent situations. Despite the high costs of percutaneous high-tech cardiac procedures, the decrease in length of hospital stays, rate of intensive care admission and complications, balance the increase in devices costs. In fragile patients who undergo percutaneous high tech cardiac procedures, the primary role of the anesthesiologist is to prevent the need for postprocedural intensive care unit and complications rate. Starting from the experience of a large university third level hospital we identified the eight most commonly performed contemporary percutaneous high tech cardiac procedures (ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation ablation, protected percutaneous coronary intervention, transcatheter aortic valve implantation, MitraClip® (Abbott Laboratories; Abbott Park, IL, USA), percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure, left atrial appendage closure, and dysfunctional lead extraction), discuss the role of procedural sedation and analgesia in this setting, and explore future perspectives.

Purpose COVID-19 is characterized by dysregulated immune response, respiratory failure and a relevant mortality rate among hospitalized patients. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in COVID-19-associated cytokine storm, and several trials investigated whether its inhibition could improve patients’ outcome. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized trials (RCT) to test this hypothesis. Materials and methods Two independent investigators searched PubMed, Scopus, ClnicalTrials.gov and medRxiv up to September 1st, 2021. Inclusion criteria were: administration of tocilizumab or sarilumab; COVID-19 adult patients with pneumonia; and being a RCT. Primary outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up. Secondary outcomes included intubation rate and incidence of adverse events. Two independent investigators extracted data from eligible trials. Results Of the 763 studies assessed, 15 RCTs were included (9,320 patients), all were multicentre, and the majority open-label vs standard treatment. IL-6 inhibitors were associated with reduced all-cause mortality at the longest follow-up (1315/5,380 [24.4%] in the IL-6 inhibitors group versus 1080/3,814 [28.3%] in the control group, RR = 0.90; 95% CI 0.84 to 0.96; p for effect = 0.003, I2 = 0%, with 13 studies included), with reduction in 28/30-day mortality and intubation rates, and with no increase in adverse events and secondary infections. Conclusion IL-6 inhibitors reduced longest follow-up mortality and intubation in COVID-19 patients. Findings need to be confirmed in high-quality RCTs.

Objective Meropenem is a β-lactam, carbapenem antibacterial agent with antimicrobial activity against gram-negative, gram-positive and anaerobic micro-organisms and is important in the empirical treatment of serious infections in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Multi-drug resistant gram-negative organisms, coupled with scarcity of new antibiotic classes, forced healthcare community to optimize the therapeutic potential of available antibiotics. Our aim is to investigate the effect of continuous infusion of meropenem against bolus administration, as indicated by a composite outcome of reducing death and emergence of extensive or pan drug-resistant pathogens in a population of ICU patients. Design Double blind, double dummy, multicenter randomized controlled trial (1:1 allocation ratio). Setting Tertiary and University hospitals. Interventions 600 ICU patients with sepsis or septic shock, needing by clinical judgment antibiotic therapy with meropenem, will be randomized to receive a continuous infusion of meropenem 3 g/24 h or an equal dose divided into three daily boluses (i.e. 1g q8h). Measurements The primary endpoint will be a composite outcome of reducing death and emergence of extensive or pan drug-resistant pathogens. Secondary endpoints will be death from any cause at day 90, antibiotic-free days at day 28, ICU-free days at day 28, cumulative SOFA-free (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) score from randomization to day 28 and the two, separate, components of the primary endpoint. We expect a primary outcome reduction from 52 to 40% in the continuous infusion group. Conclusions The trial will provide evidence for choosing intermittent or continuous infusion of meropenem for critically ill patients with multi-drug resistant gram-negative infections.

Introduction: Severe COVID-19 cases have a detrimental hyper-inflammatory host response and different cytokine-blocking biologic agents were explored to improve outcomes. Anakinra blocks the activity of both IL-1α and IL‑1β and is approved for different autoinflammatory disorders, but it is used off-label for conditions characterized by an excess of cytokine production. Several studies on anakinra in COVID-19 patients reported positive effects. We performed a meta-analysis of all published evidence on the use of anakinra in COVID19 to investigate its effect on survival and need for mechanical ventilation. Methods: We searched for any study performed on adult patients with acute hypoxemic failure related to 2019-nCoV infection, receiving anakinra versus any comparator. Primary endpoint was mortality at the longest available follow-up. Adverse effects, need for mechanical ventilation and discharge at home with no limitations were also analysed. Results: Four observational studies involving 184 patients were included. Overall mortality of patients treated with anakinra was significantly lower than mortality in the control group (95% CI 0.14-0.48, p

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of preconditioning based on changes in inspiratory oxygen fraction on endothelial function in the model of ischemia-reperfusion injury of the myocardium in the condition of cardiopulmonary bypass. The prospective randomized study included 32 rabbits divided into four groups: hypoxic preconditioning, hyperoxic preconditioning, hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning, and control group. All animals were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated. We provided preconditioning, then started cardiopulmonary bypass, followed by induced acute myocardial infarction (ischemia 45 min, reperfusion 120 min). We investigated endothelin-1, nitric oxide metabolites, asymmetric dimethylarginine during cardiopulmonary bypass: before ischemia, after ischemia, and after reperfusion. We performed light microscopy of myocardium, kidney, lungs, and gut mucosa. The endothelin-1 level was much higher in the control group than in all preconditioning groups after ischemia. The endothelin-1 even further increased after reperfusion. The total concentration of nitric oxide metabolites was significantly higher after all types of preconditioning compared with the control group. The light microscopy of the myocardium and other organs revealed a diminished damage extent in the hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning group as compared to the control group. Hypoxic-hyperoxic preconditioning helps to maintain the balance of nitric oxide metabolites, reduces endothelin-1 hyperproduction, and enforces organ protection.

Objective Conflicting data exist on the effect of dexmedetomidine on delirium. For the present study, a randomized trial was performed to investigate the effect of perioperative dexmedetomidine on the rate of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery. Design A randomized controlled trial. Setting University hospital. Participants Patients (n = 169) undergoing elective cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass graft surgery, valve surgery, or combined surgery) with cardiopulmonary bypass. Interventions Patients received a sevoflurane-based general anesthesia and were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive a dexmedetomidine infusion that started in the operating room (0.7 μg/kg/h) and continued into the intensive care unit (0.4 μg/kg/h) or an equivolume infusion of placebo. Measurements and Main Results A decrease in the rate of delirium in the dexmedetomidine group compared with the placebo group was demonstrated (6 of 84 [7.1%] v 16 of 85 [18.8%]; p = 0.02; odds ratio [OR] 0.33 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.12-0.90]). Reduced intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay also were observed (18 [18-22] hours v 22 [18-39] hours; p = 0.002 and 17 [7-20] days v 19 [8-21] days; p = 0.04, respectively). Mortality at 30 days was 2 (2.4%) in both groups. On multivariate analysis, only dexmedetomidine administration (OR 0.24 [95% CI 0.08-0.74]) and cardiopulmonary bypass time (OR 1.02 [95% CI 1.01-1.03] for increases of 1 min) were independent predictors of delirium development. Conclusions Dexmedetomidine administered during and after general anesthesia for cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass decreased the rate of postoperative delirium and intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay.

Objectives To investigate the effect of the application of therapeutic hypothermia (32-35°C) on survival and major clinical endpoints in critically ill patients. Data sources We searched online database and clinical trial registries dated up to April 30, 2019, and references of relevant studies. Study selection Low risk of bias randomized trials which compared hypothermia applied for at least 24 hours and conventional therapy in critically ill patients were included. We excluded trials investigating therapeutic hypothermia in indications already supported by international guidelines (adult cardiac arrest and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy of newborns) or intraoperative hypothermia. Data extraction Titles and abstracts were reviewed independently by two authors. If the articles seemed eligible, full-text articles were reviewed, and data were abstracted using a structured template. Data synthesis Our search retained 14 low risk of bias randomized trials (2,670 patients) performed in three different settings: traumatic brain injury, serious infections, and stroke. Therapeutic hypothermia was associated with an increase in mortality at longest follow-up available (432/1,375 [31%] vs 330/1,295 [25%]; risk ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.10-1.39; p = 0.0004; I = 0%). Pooled results showed no difference of good neurologic outcome among survivors between the two treatment arms (493/1,142 [43%] vs 486/1,067 [46%]; risk ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.12; p = 0.27; I = 1%). Arrhythmias were significantly increased among patients undergoing therapeutic hypothermia. We found no difference between groups in pneumonia, serious infections, any infection, hemorrhage, renal failure, deep vein thrombosis, and uncontrollable intracranial hypertension. Conclusions High-quality randomized evidence indicates that therapeutic hypothermia is associated with higher mortality and no difference in good neurologic outcome compared with normothermia in critically ill patients. Although there still might be a possibility that therapeutic hypothermia is beneficial in a specific setting, routine application of therapeutic hypothermia would better be avoided outside the settings indicated by international guidelines (adult cardiac arrest and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy of newborns).

Introduction There are high incidence of pulmonary complications and acute respiratory failure (3,2—28,6%)¹ after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of various tactics of respiratory support during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications. Methods This is a prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study in parallel groups. The study was approved by a local ethics committee. Informed consent was obligatory for all participants. Sixty patients were divided into two groups. In group 1 we provided a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) of +5 cm H2O during CPB. In group 2 patients underwent mechanical ventilation with reduced volume (volume control (VC) mode, tidal volume 3 ml / kg of ideal body weight) and respiratory rate of 6 breathes per minute with positive end-expiratory pressure + 5 cm H2O. The primary end-point of the study was the value of the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to oxygen fraction in inhaled gas mixture ratio (paO2/FiO2) at different stages of perioperative management: T1 (after the beginning of mechanical ventilation, T2 (before the CPB), T3 (after CPB), T4 (at the end of the surgery), T5 (upon admission to the ICU), T6 and T7 (6 and 12 hours after surgery, respectively). Secondary end-points were the common lung complications rate (pneumonia, pleural effusion, atelectasis, pneumothorax), the frequency of recruitment maneuvers during the mechanical ventilation, the need for non-invasive ventilation after extubation, the frequency of re-intubation of the trachea. Statistical analysis was carried out in SPSS for Mac v19 (IBM, Inc, USA). Data were presented as mean (±standard deviation) or number (percent). A comparison of the quantitative characteristics was performed using the Mann Whitney U-test. Fisher's exact test was used for the incidence of complications between groups. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The results are presented in Tables 1 and 2. The paO2/FiO2 in the VC group was higher than in the CPAP group at stages T3 and T5. The frequency of recruiting maneuvers in the VC group was lower than in the CPAP group. There was a lower incidence of atelectasis in the VC group than in the CPAP group (Table 2). The low-volume lung ventilation during the CPB is beneficial for oxygenating function of the lungs in comparison with CPAP respiratory support. Discussion The low-volume lung ventilation during the CPB is beneficial for oxygenating function of the lungs in comparison with CPAP respiratory support.

SEPARATION from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after cardiac surgery is a progressive transition from full mechanical circulatory and respiratory support to spontaneous mechanical activity of the lungs and heart. During the separation phase, measurements of cardiac performance with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provide the rationale behind the diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making process. In many cases, it is possible to predict a complex separation from CPB, such as when there is known preoperative left or right ventricular dysfunction, bleeding, hypovolemia, vasoplegia, pulmonary hypertension, or owing to technical complications related to the surgery. Prompt diagnosis and therapeutic decisions regarding mechanical or pharmacologic support have to be made within a few minutes. In fact, a complex separation from CPB if not adequately treated leads to a poor outcome in the vast majority of cases. Unfortunately, no specific criteria defining complex separation from CPB and no management guidelines for these patients currently exist. Taking into account the above considerations, the aim of the present review is to describe the most common scenarios associated with a complex CPB separation and to suggest strategies, pharmacologic agents, and para-corporeal mechanical devices that can be adopted to manage patients with complex separation from CPB. The routine management strategies of complex CPB separation of 17 large cardiac centers from 14 countries in 5 continents will also be described.

Objective: Reducing mortality is a key target in critical care and perioperative medicine. The authors aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions (drugs, techniques, strategies) shown by randomized trials to increase mortality in these clinical settings. Design: A systematic review of the literature followed by a consensus-based voting process. Setting: A web-based international consensus conference. Participants: Two hundred fifty-one physicians from 46 countries. Interventions: The authors performed a systematic literature search and identified all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing a significant increase in unadjusted landmark mortality among surgical or critically ill patients. The authors reviewed such studies during a meeting by a core group of experts. Studies selected after such review advanced to web-based voting by clinicians in relation to agreement, clinical practice, and willingness to include each intervention in international guidelines. Measurements and main results: The authors selected 12 RCTs dealing with 12 interventions increasing mortality: diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin (92% of agreement among web voters), overfeeding, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor in septic shock, human growth hormone, thyroxin in acute kidney injury, intravenous salbutamol in acute respiratory distress syndrome, plasma- derived protein C concentrate, aprotinin in high-risk cardiac surgery, cysteine prodrug, hypothermia in meningitis, methylprednisolone in traumatic brain injury, and albumin in traumatic brain injury (72% of agreement). Overall, a high consistency (ranging from 80% to 90%) between agreement and clinical practice was observed. Conclusion: The authors identified 12 clinical interventions showing increased mortality supported by randomized controlled trials with nonconflicting evidence, and wide agreement upon clinicians on a global scale.

The authors aimed to identify interventions documented by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reduce mortality in adult critically ill and perioperative patients, followed by a survey of clinicians' opinions and routine practices to understand the clinicians' response to such evidence. The authors performed a comprehensive literature review to identify all topics reported to reduce mortality in perioperative and critical care settings according to at least 2 RCTs or to a multicenter RCT or to a single-center RCT plus guidelines. The authors generated position statements that were voted on online by physicians worldwide for agreement, use, and willingness to include in international guidelines. From 262 RCT manuscripts reporting mortality differences in the perioperative and critically ill settings, the authors selected 27 drugs, techniques, and strategies (66 RCTs, most frequently published by the New England Journal of Medicine [13 papers], Lancet [7], and Journal of the American Medical Association [5]) with an agreement ≥67% from over 250 physicians (46 countries). Noninvasive ventilation was the intervention supported by the largest number of RCTs (n = 13). The concordance between agreement and use (a positive answer both to "do you agree" and "do you use") showed differences between Western and other countries and between anesthesiologists and intensive care unit physicians. The authors identified 27 clinical interventions with randomized evidence of survival benefit and strong clinician support in support of their potential life-saving properties in perioperative and critically ill patients with noninvasive ventilation having the highest level of support. However, clinician views appear affected by specialty and geographical location.

Patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases have an increased risk of viral infections that can be attributed to the underlying immunological abnormalities, comorbidities and immunosuppressive therapy. Moreover, immunocompromised patients with influenza had more severe disease, longer viral shedding and more antiviral resistance while demonstrating less clinical symptoms and signs.1 COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, particularly treated with immunosuppressive agents, is also likely to follow the deleterious course previously reported in the other respiratory viral infections.2 Surprisingly, little is known about the association of COVID-19 and inflammatory rheumatic diseases, although the number of patients infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has already exceeded two millions and continues to rise in many countries, including Russia. In a recent article, Monti et al suggested that patients with chronic arthritis treated with biological and targeted synthetic disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) do not seem to be at increased risk of respiratory or life-threatening complications from COVID-19 compared with the general population.3 However, more data about the prevalence, severity and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disease are urgently needed to identify patients at …