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American College of Rheumatology Guidance for COVID‐19 Vaccination in Patients With Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: Version 2
Author(s) -
Curtis Jeffrey R.,
Johnson Sindhu R.,
Anthony Donald D.,
Arasaratnam Reuben J.,
Baden Lindsey R.,
Bass Anne R.,
Calabrese Cassandra,
Gravallese Ellen M.,
Harpaz Rafael,
Kroger Andrew,
Sadun Rebecca E.,
Turner Amy S.,
Williams Eleanor Anderson,
Mikuls Ted R.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
arthritis and rheumatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.106
H-Index - 314
eISSN - 2326-5205
pISSN - 2326-5191
DOI - 10.1002/art.41877
Subject(s) - medicine , context (archaeology) , rheumatology , vaccination , family medicine , task force , delphi method , delphi , covid-19 , medline , health care , disease , physical therapy , intensive care medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , immunology , artificial intelligence , paleontology , public administration , political science , computer science , law , economics , biology , economic growth , operating system
Objective To provide guidance to rheumatology providers on the use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) vaccines for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Methods A task force was assembled that included 9 rheumatologists/immunologists, 2 infectious disease specialists, and 2 public health physicians. After agreeing on scoping questions, an evidence report was created that summarized the published literature and publicly available data regarding COVID‐19 vaccine efficacy and safety, as well as literature for other vaccines in RMD patients. Task force members rated their agreement with draft consensus statements on a 9‐point numerical scoring system, using a modified Delphi process and the RAND/University of California Los Angeles Appropriateness Method, with refinement and iteration over 2 sessions. Consensus was determined based on the distribution of ratings. Results Despite a paucity of direct evidence, 74 draft guidance statements were developed by the task force and agreed upon with consensus to provide guidance for use of the COVID‐19 vaccines in RMD patients and to offer recommendations regarding the use and timing of immunomodulatory therapies around the time of vaccination. Conclusion These guidance statements, made in the context of limited clinical data, are intended to provide direction to rheumatology health care providers on how to best use COVID‐19 vaccines and to facilitate implementation of vaccination strategies for RMD patients.