Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in England prior to vaccination: a retrospective observational cohort study

Objectives Determine the prevaccination healthcare impact of COVID-19 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in England.Design Retrospective cohort study of adult patients with SLE from 1 May to 31 October 2020.Setting Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) databases from general practitioners across England combining primary care and other health-related data.Participants Overall, 6145 adults with confirmed SLE diagnosis ≥1 year prior to 1 May 2020 were included. Most patients were women (91.0%), white (67.1%), and diagnosed with SLE at age