POS0174 VACCINE UPTAKE AGAINST INFLUENZA AND PNEUMOCOCCAL INFECTIONS DURING THE SARS-CoV-2 PANDEMIC IN PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATIC DISEASES (CIRD)

Background: Data before the start of the pandemic had shown that vaccination coverage was low with 49.1% of CIRD patients having documented vaccination against pneumococci in the previous 5 years and 33.4% against influenza in the previous season [1]. While influenza vaccination is recommended annually and pneumococcal vaccination every 5 years for all CIRD patients, a sequential vaccination with PCV13 followed by PPSV23 has been recommended for these patients to start with [2]. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the date of the last vaccination of pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations between 2016 and 2021 in CIRD patients, and to compare this data with non-CIRD patients. In addition, we aimed to assess whether vaccination recommendations were followed. Methods: Patients with or without CIRD presenting to our tertiary center between February and April 2021 were asked to complete a structured questionnaire regarding vaccination. Patient characteristics and data from the vaccination card were collected. Chi-square tests were performed to analyze differences. Results: Out of 514 CIRD and 100 non-CIRD patients (Table 1), 270 CIRD (52.7%) vs 20 non-CIRD patients (20%) reported to have been vaccinated against pneumococci (p<0.005). The vaccination card was available in 247 CIRD (48%) and 27 non-CIRD patients (27%). Concentrating on the population at risk for pneumococcal infection in the non-CIRD group, only 7 patients had a documented vaccination (35%), while there were more patients (n=149) in the CIRD group (55.3%). In contrast, the proportion of patients reporting vaccination against influenza was similar: 340 CIRD (66.3%) vs 60 non-CIRD patients (60%). Out of patients who had received their last influenza vaccination in winter 2020, 278 had CIRD (81.8%) and 45 not (75.9%). While 46 CIRD patients had documented pneumococcal vaccination in 2020 (32%) this was true for 3 patients at risk in the non-CIRD group (42%). A refreshed pneumococcal vaccination status within the last 5 years was seen in 221 CIRD (49.2%) compared to 7 non-CIRD patients (33.3%), not statistically significant. There was a positive time trend of vaccination with an increase in vaccination uptake in both groups during the pandemic, with an approximately 50% increase in pneumococcal vaccination uptake in 2020 compared to 2019. However, only 35 vaccinated CIRD patients received a sequential vaccination (23.3%), while 81 CIRD patients received PPSV23 only (58.1%) and 28 received PCV13 only (18.6%). Among CIRD patients, 68.7% felt confident in their knowledge of pneumococcal infections and 82.1% felt confident in their knowledge of influenza, while these proportions were similar in non-CIRD group patients: 67% and 79%, respectively. Table 1. Patient demographics and disease characteristics Conclusion: These results show a significant increase in the vaccination rate for non-corona vaccinations during the pandemic which may be due to intensive campaigns on the importance of vaccination and enhancing vigilance in CIRD patients and physicians. However, although vaccination coverage increased during the pandemic, vaccination uptake is still inadequate. To combat preventable diseases in general and in patients with CIRD in particular, more educational campaigns are needed to conquer vaccine hesitancy. REFERENCES: [1] Kiltz U, Celik A, Tsiami S, et al. Are patients with rheumatic diseases on immunosuppressive therapies protected against preventable infections? A cross-sectional cohort study. RMD Open 2021;7:e001499. doi:10.1136/ rmdopen-2020-001499. [2] Furer V, Rondaan C, Heijstek MW, et al2019 update of EULAR recommendations for vaccination in adult patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2020;79:39-52. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.