A recent study published within the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology has revealed that individuals with gout are at higher risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, no matter the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination status.
Study: Gout and Excess Risk of Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection Amongst Vaccinated Individuals: A General Population Study. Image Credit: Suriyawut Suriya/Shutterstock
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic brought on by SARS-CoV-2 has put the worldwide general population under tremendous health and economic threat. Although most individuals develop only mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe and infrequently fatal disease may develop amongst susceptible people, including elderly individuals and people with comorbidities.
Considered one of the key hallmarks of severe COVID-19 is hyperinflammation. Thus, individuals with pre-existing inflammatory diseases, including gout, are at higher risk of developing severe disease. Basically, individuals with gout present with various comorbidities, including obesity, cardiovascular complications, and chronic kidney disease. These pre-existing health conditions make them more prone to SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity.
Previous studies investigating the chance of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst gout patients have produced conflicting results. Furthermore, not one of the studies have evaluated the association between COVID-19 vaccination status and risk of severe infection amongst gout patients.
In the present study, scientists have estimated the chance of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its severity amongst vaccinated and unvaccinated gout patients.
Study design
The study was conducted on UK residents categorized into two distinct groups, including individuals with and without gout. The study groups included each vaccinated and unvaccinated adults. A medical database representing the UK general population was used to gather information concerning the demographic characteristics and medical conditions of the participants.
The participants were followed between December 2020 and October 2021. The fundamental consequence of the study was to evaluate the chance of SARS-CoV-2 infection amongst gout patients. As well as, the chance of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death was determined as a secondary consequence.
Various influencing aspects, including sociodemographic features, geographical locations, comorbidities, and use of medicines, were considered while estimating the weighted incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related hospitalization and mortality.
Vital observations
A complete of 54,576 individuals with gout and 1,336,377 individuals without gout were chosen from the final population who received COVID-19 vaccination. Amongst unvaccinated study participants, 61,111 were with gout and 1,697,168 were without gout.
Risk of infection amongst vaccinated study population
A significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed amongst vaccinated gout patients in comparison with vaccinated individuals without gout. While a weighted incidence rate of three.76 per 1000 person months was calculated amongst individuals without gout, individuals with gout exhibited a weighted incidence rate of 4.68 per 1000 person months.
Regarding the chance of severe COVID-19, vaccinated gout patients were found to have a better rate of hospitalization and mortality in comparison with those without gout.
Risk of infection amongst unvaccinated study population
A relatively higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 was also observed amongst unvaccinated gout patients in comparison with those without gout. Specifically, the weighted incidence rates were 8.69 and 6.89 per 1000 person-months amongst individuals with and without gout, respectively.
Regarding the chance of severe COVID-19, a better rate of hospitalization was observed amongst gout patients in comparison with that amongst individuals without gout. Nonetheless, no significant difference in mortality rate was observed between individuals with and without gout.
Gender-specific risk
An increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was observed amongst male gout patients in comparison with men without gout. This association was observed amongst each vaccinated and unvaccinated male participants.
Although each men and ladies with gout exhibited a better risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization than those without gout, comparatively higher mortality risk was observed amongst female gout patients.
All gender-specific associations observed between gout and risk of SARS-CoV-2 and severe COVID-19 were no matter the vaccination status.
Study significance
The study highlights that gout patients have a significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 (hospitalization and mortality) than those without gout. Notably, COVID-19 vaccination status doesn’t appear to have any protective profit in gout patients.
One other vital finding is that ladies with gout have a comparatively higher risk of severe COVID-19 than those without gout.
As mentioned by the scientists, the present study findings are robust. Additionally they have the potential to be generalized, because the study has been conducted on a big proportion of the final population.