Table 1 Characteristics of the included studies and patients

Ferri C et al., 2021; Italy

Observational multicenter study; Telephone survey; NS

1641 ASD patients with

695 RA patients

(63 ± 13) ^a

518/177

Prevalence of COVID-19

Freites N et al., 2020; Spain

Prospective observational study; Single tertiary Hospital; 1 March 2020 to 24 April 2020

123 AIRD–COVID patients with 50 RA patients

NS

NS

Risk of hospitalization

Mena V et al., 2020; Spain

Cross-sectional observational study; HRUM Emergencies; March 13 to April 12, 2020

1537 IAD patients with 13 RA patients

NS

NS

Death

Soldevila-D et al., 2020; Spain

Cross-sectional study; Hospital del Mar; September 2019 to March 2020

2544 IMID patients with 538 RA patients

NS

424/114

Prevalence of COVID-19

Alzahrani et al., 2020; Saudi Arabia

Retrospective study; Single tertiary care center; March 2020 to November 2020

47 RD patients with 25 RA patients

NS

NS

Severe COVID-19

Annamalai et al., 2020; India

Multi-center retrospective observational study; Six tertiary care centers; April 01, 2020 to October 15, 2020

85 RD- COVID patients with 44 RA patients

NS

NS

Hospitalization

Attauabi M et al., 2021; Denmark

Population-based cohort study; The Danish COVID-IMID cohort; January 28, 2020 to

September 15, 2020

71,733 IMID patients with 13,015 RA patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Bachiller-Corral et al., 2021; Spain

Retrospective single-center observational study;

Ramóny Cajal Hospital; March 1, 2020

to April 30, 2020

4592 IRD patients with 1708 RA patients

NS

NS

Hospitalization; Risk of hospitalization

Belleudi et al., 2021; Italy

Retrospective cohort Study; Regional administrative healthcare databases; NS

65,230 IMID patients with 20,299 RA patients

64 (52–75) ^b

15,184/5115

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of death

Bower et al., 2021; Sweden

Cohort study; Swedish nationwide multiregister linkages; March–September 2020

110,567 IJD patients with 53,455 RA patients

69 (57–77) ^b

39,022/14,433

Risk of hospitalization; risk of ICU; Risk of death

Cordtz et al., 2021; Denmark

Cohort study; the linkage of several Danish nationwide registers; March 1 to August 12, 2020

29,440 RA patients

67.3 (56.7–75.7) ^b

20,990 /10,101

Death; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of severe COVID-19

Fernandez-G et al., 2021; Spain

Observational longitudinal study;

Single tertiary hospital in Madrid; March 1 to April 15,2020

3951 IRD patients with

1486 RA patients

NS

NS

Risk of hospitalization

Florence et al., 2021; France

Cohort study; Lille University Hospital; February 24 to April 17, 2020

694 IRMD patients with

213 RA-COVID-19 patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Severe COVID-19; Death

Gamboa-C et al., 2021; Peru

Cohort follow-up; Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen-EsSalud; March to November 2020

1148 ARDs patients with

169 RA patients; 75 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Guillaume et al., 2021; France

Observational monocentric cohort study; Adolphe de Rothschild Foundation Hospital; Apr 17 to Nov 2, 2020

459 IMID patients with

149 RA patients

NS

NS

Risk of COVID-19

Jung et al., 2021; Korea

Cross-sectional study; Nationwide COVID-19 cohort database by the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation; NS

35 RA-COVID patients,121 controls

NS

NS

Severity of COVID-19; Admission to ICU; Death; Risk of COVID-19; Risk of death

Naderi et al., 2021; Iran

Multicenter cohort-based observational study; Rheumatology clinics of academic hospitals of Isfahan; April and July 2020

954 RD patients with 215 RA patients;9 RA-COVID patients

51.09 (52 [43–60]) ^c

175/40

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization; Death; Admission to ICU

Pileggi et al., 2021; Brazil

Cross-sectional analysis; Web‐based platform using telephone calls; March 29 to May 17, 2020

5166 RD patients with 402 RA patients;16 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Raike et al., 2021; USA

Retrospective cohort study; US multicenter research network (TriNetX); NS

9730 RA patients

(61.1 ± 15.3) a

7280/2450

Hospitalization; Admission to ICU; Death; Severe COVID-19; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of severe COVID-19; Risk of admission to ICU; Risk of death

Saadoun et al., 2021; France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the UK

Multicenter cross-sectional study;

Six tertiary referral centers in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the UK; June 7 to Dec 8, 2020

3136 IMID patients with 891 RA patients;39 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Sarzi-P et al., 2021; Italy

Multicenter retrospective study; Italian regions of Lombardy and Marche; March 15 to April 23,2020

10,260 RD patients with 5373 RA patients;23 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Shobha et al., 2021; India

Prospective multicenter noninterventional longitudinal ongoing study; 14 specialist rheumatology centers across Karnataka; March 2020 to August 10, 2020

3807 RD patients with 1964RA patients;12 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Hasseli et al., 2021; Germany

Prevalence study; German COVID-19 registry for IRD patients;30th March to 16th November 2020

104 RA-COVID-19 patients

NS

NS

Hospitalization; Death

Batıbay et al., 2021; Turkey

Prevalence study; Gazi University Hospital; July to December 2020

320 IRD patients with 109 RA patients;6 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Death

Alsaed et al., 2022; Qatar

Single-center retrospective matched cohort study; A medical center; March 2020 to March 2021

141 ARD patients with 57 RA patients

NS

NS

Severe COVID-19; Risk of severe COVID-19

Assar et al., 2022; Iran

Prevalence study; Emam Reza and Golestan Hospitals; Feb 18 and Aug 22, 2020

1000 RD patients with 371RA patients; 78 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19

Becetti et al., 2022; Qatar

Cross-sectional study; Telephonic survey; April 1 to July 31, 2020

700 ARD patients with 260 RA patients; 34 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Curtis et al., 2022; USA

Retrospective cohort study; The Optum COVID-19 EHR dataset; February 1 to December 9, 2020

2306 RA-COVID patients

61 (19–89) ^b

1795/511

Hospitalization; Admission to ICU; Death; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of admission to ICU; Risk of death

Eder et al., 2022; Canada

Population-based, matched cohort study; The health administrative data; January 1 to July 31, 2020

134,964 RA patients

NS

NS

Risk of hospitalization

Figueroa-P et al., 2022; USA

Retrospective, comparative, multicenter cohort study; Mayo Clinic and Mass General Brigham in the USA; March 1, 2020 to June 6, 2021

582 RA patients

62 (14) ^a

421/161

Hospitalization; Death; Severe COVID-19; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of severe C OVID-19; Risk of death

Gomides et al., 2022; Brazil

Cross-sectional analysis; ReumaCoV- Brazil Registry; May 24, 2020, to January 31, 2021

489 RA patients

(53 ± 12) ^a

443/46

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization

Gracia et al., 2022; Spain

Cross-sectional survey; Google form platform; April to October 2020

1526 AD patients with 46 RA patients;2 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Marozoff et al., 2022; Canada

Population-based matched cohort study;

British Columbia; February 6, 2020 to August 15,2021

6279 ARD patients with 2067 RA patients;

60.1 (18.3) ^a

1445/622

Risk of admission to ICU

Oztas et al., 2022; Turkey

Cohort study; Rheumatology outpatient clinics of Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa and Istanbul University; June 1 to September 1, 2020

89 RA patients; 4 RA-COVID patients

(53.9 ± 10.3) ^a

73/16

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19; Hospitalization

Patil et al., 2022; India

Cohort study; 14 specialist rheumatology centers across Karnataka and one center in Kerala; April-December 2020

9212 AIRD patients with 4558 RA patients; 120 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of death

Rorat et al., 2022; Poland

Retrospective real-world study; The SARS Ter national database; 1 March 2020 and 31 January 2022

136 RA patients

NS

NS

Death

Sonaglia et al., 2022; Italy

Observational study; The province of Udine, Italy; September 2019 to November 2020

936 RA patients; 16 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Valladales-R et al., 2022; Colombia

Observational study; A health care institution; 1 April 2020 to 31 May 2021

2566 RA patients; 130 RA-COVID patients

61.9 (53.3–69.4) ^b

2080/486

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization; Admission to ICU; Death

Wang et al., 2022; China

Cohort Study; The Health Improvement Network; February 2020 to September 2020

17,268 RA patients; 42 RA-COVID patients

(64.9 ± 13.5) ^a

12,295/4973

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19

Yue et al., 2022; USA

Retrospective analysis; Optum EHR database; February 1, 2020 to March 3,2021

6108 RA patients

(61.5 ± 14.8) ^a

4714/1394

Risk of severe COVID-19

Li et al., 2022; UK

Cohort study; UK primary care database; December 8, 2020 to October 31, 2021

15,901 RA patients

(64.8 ± 13.7) ^a

11,258/4643

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization; Death; Risk of COVID-19; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of death

Eder et al., 2023; Canada

Population-based, matched cohort study; Adult residents from Ontario, Canada; January 2020 to December 2020

493,499 IMIDs patients with 134,964 RA patients; 1349 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19

Geng et al., 2023; China

Prevalence study; A tertiary hospital in Beijing; December 8, 2022 to January13, 2023

2005 AIIRDs patients with 290 RA patients;228 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19

Jain et al., 2023; India

Prospective, non-interventional longitudinal cohort study; 15 referral rheumatology centers; Apr-Dec,2021

2969 AIRD patients with 129 RA patients

NS

NS

Risk of COVID-19; Risk of death

Khalaf et al., 2023; USA

Retrospective cohort study; The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database; 2020

21,175 RA patients;

68^d

15,458/5717

Risk of death

Rizzi et al., 2023; Italy

Prospective cohort; NS; October to December 2021

17 RA patients; 2 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19

Sarı et al., 2023; Türkiye

Prevalence study; İstanbul Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital; July 2020 and January 2021

71 RA patients; 14 RA-COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19; Severe COVID-19

Scirocco et al., 2023; Italy

Retrospective, observational design; The national CONTROL-19 Database; March 26, 2020 to March 1, 2021

524 RA patients; 131RA-COVID patients

60.6 (13.1) ^a

389/135

Prevalence of COVID-19

Singh et al., 2023; USA

Cohort study; Database; January 1,2020 and September 16,2021

69,549 RA patients; 22,956 RA-COVID patients

61.00 (51.0, 71.0) ^b

17,492/5464

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization; Admission to ICU; Death

Svensson et al., 2023; Denmark

Cohort study; Danish national registers; March 2020 to January 2023

30,919 RA patients; 13,011RA-COVID patients

52.1(40.3–63.8) ^b

21,895/9024

Prevalence of COVID-19; Risk of COVID-19; Risk of hospitalization; Risk of death; Risk of Severe COVID-19

Tsai et al., 2023; Taiwan

Retrospective cohort study; the US Collaborative Network in TriNetX; January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2022

7284 RA patients; 753 RA-COVID patients

NS

5908/1376

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization; Death; Severe COVID-19

Zamora-A et al., 2023; Philippines

Prevalence study; The Global Rheumatology Alliance registry; March 2020 to August 2021

164 IRDs patients with 25 RA

NS

NS

Risk of hospitalization; Risk of death

Bagheri-H et al., 2023; Iran

Retrospective cross-sectional study;

Ali-Ibn-Abi-Talib Hospital, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences; NS

200 RA patients;34 RA-COVID patients

NS

140/60

Prevalence of COVID-19

Abdulnaby et al., 2023; Egypt

Multicenter case-control study; Cairo University Hospitals; September 2020 and February 2021

66 RD patients with 32 RA patients;

NS

NS

Severe COVID-19

Armağan et al., 2023; Turkey

Single-center retrospective study; Ankara City Hospital Rheumatology Clinic; May to December 2021

98 ARD patients with 62 RA patients;14 RA- COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Nair et al., 2023; India

Prevalence study; A tertiary care center from South India; October 2019 to May 2021

76 RA patients;4 RA- COVID patients

NS

NS

Prevalence of COVID-19

Anand et al., 2023; USA

Cohort study; Veterans Health Administration electronic health records; January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2022

1355 RA-COVID patients

NS

280/1075

Severe COVID-19; Risk of severe COVID-19

Davis et al., 2024; USA

Retrospective case-control; The National Inpatient Sample database; January 1 to December 31, 2020

21,545 RA-COVID patients

68.75 (0.20) ^a

15,711/5834

Risk of death

Embaby et al., 2024; Egypt

Prevalence study; Cairo University hospitals and private rheumatology centers; The start of pandemic in 2019 till 30 June 2022

300 RA-COVID patients

(48.92 ± 12.1) ^a

187/13

Severe COVID-19; Death

Cordtz R et al., 2022; Denmark

Cohort study; Several Danish nationwide registers; January 1 to October 5, 2021

81,818RA patients;1942 RA-COVID patients

NS

58,233/23,585

Prevalence of COVID-19; Hospitalization

Le M et al., 2023; Belgium

Longitudinal prospective monocentric study; Hospital Erasme (Brussels, Belgium); April 2021 and February 2022

79 RA patients;7 RA-COVID patients

61.0 (52.5–68.0) ^b

63/16

Prevalence of COVID-19

Mahdavi et al., 2021; Iran

Cross-sectional study; Tabriz University of Medical Sciences; 14 December 2020 to 14 March 2021

128 RA-COVID patients

(52.3 ± 13.9) ^a

107/21

Hospitalization; Admission to ICU; Death