: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multi-organ autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by widespread inflammation and significant morbidity and mortality. Organ affection includes joint and cutaneous involvement, pulmonary, neurological, and cardiac problems, renal and hematological involvement as well as ocular comorbidities, both posterior but mostly anterior ocular involvement. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate dry eye involvement in lupus patients. A cross-sectional study was performed with the aid of a web-based, anonymous questionnaire that was distributed to both patients diagnosed with lupus erythematosus and to a control group. A total number of 123 patients diagnosed with lupus and 200 responders in the control group completed the questionnaire. Dry eye disease has already been diagnosed in 25 lupus patients (28.9%) compared to 44 (21.9%) individuals in the control group. Dry eye-related symptomatology was reported in 43 (34.60%) patients compared to 57 (28.35%) healthy responders. Upon statistical analysis, more symptoms were reported in the lupus group (p=0.01), in responders diagnosed with dry eye syndrome (p 0.01), and in responders using lubrication (p 0.01) but no association was obtained between the incidence of dry eye symptoms and the presence of the disease. The number of episodes of lupus reactivation since diagnosis was correlated with dry eye syndrome (p=0.15) and the use of lubricating tear drops (p 0.01). Dry eye symptoms and disease are more frequent in lupus patients and further research should be performed to understand the connection between these two disease entities.
Understanding COVID-19 vaccination attitudes is of paramount importance in order to estimate and influence the willingness to vaccinate. A cross-sectional study was performed in the spring of 2021 in Romania by sending a web-based questionnaire to patients with rheumatic autoimmune diseases in order to assess their willingness to vaccinate against SARS CoV-2 and to identify factors that might influence their decision. Variables derived from the questionnaire were analyzed in univariable and multivariable analysis. 71 patients, of which 60 (84.5%) women, were included in the study, with a 53.5% (38 subjects) willingness to vaccinate. A positive association was observed between the willingness to vaccinate and the patients' trust in authorities, trust in the healthcare system and the choice of scientific sources of information in their decision making. A positive correlation was observed between the intention to vaccinate and the global VAX score, as well as the subscale VAX scores (p0.05). Global VAX score emerged as a predictive factor for the intention to vaccinate on logistic regression (p0.05). The present study underlines the importance of reliable scientific sources of information for pa-tients with autoimmune diseases and how the general attitude about vaccination becomes a pre-dictive factor for accepting COVID-19 vaccine. Understanding COVID-19 vaccination attitudes is of paramount importance in order to estimate and influence the willingness to vaccinate. A cross-sectional study was performed in the spring of 2021 in Romania by sending a web-based questionnaire to patients with rheumatic autoimmune diseases in order to assess their willingness to vaccinate against SARS CoV-2 and to identify factors that might influence their decision. Variables derived from the questionnaire were analyzed in univariable and multivariable analysis. 71 patients, of which 60 (84.5%) women, were included in the study, with a 53.5% (38 subjects) willingness to vaccinate. A positive association was observed between the willingness to vaccinate and the patients' trust in authorities, trust in the healthcare system and the choice of scientific sources of information in their decision making. A positive correlation was observed between the intention to vaccinate and the global VAX score, as well as the subscale VAX scores (p0.05). Global VAX score emerged as a predictive factor for the intention to vaccinate on logistic regression (p0.05). The present study underlines the importance of reliable scientific sources of information for pa-tients with autoimmune diseases and how the general attitude about vaccination becomes a pre-dictive factor for accepting COVID-19 vaccine. Understanding COVID-19 vaccination attitudes is of paramount importance in order to estimate and influence the willingness to vaccinate. A cross-sectional study was performed in the spring of 2021 in Romania by sending a web-based questionnaire to patients with rheumatic autoimmune diseases in order to assess their willingness to vaccinate against SARS CoV-2 and to identify factors that might influence their decision. Variables derived from the questionnaire were analyzed in univariable and multivariable analysis. 71 patients, of which 60 (84.5) women, were included in the study, with a 53.5% (38 subjects) willingness to vaccinate. A positive association was observed between the willingness to vaccinate and the patients' trust in authorities, trust in the healthcare system and the choice of scientific sources of information in their decision making. A positive correlation was observed between the intention to vaccinate and the global VAX score, as well as the subscale VAX scores (p0.05). Global VAX score emerged as a predictive factor for the intention to vaccinate on logistic regression (p0.05). The present study underlines the importance of reliable scientific sources of information for pa-tients with autoimmune diseases and how the general attitude about vaccination becomes a pre-dictive factor for accepting COVID-19 vaccine.
