Coverage and Drivers of Vaccinations in Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: An Italian Multicentric Study.

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Immunology
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) face heightened infection risks due to immune issues and treatments.
• Vaccination is crucial for preventing infections in ARD patients, yet coverage remains suboptimal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess vaccination coverage and identify barriers among Italian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• To understand the role of healthcare providers and patient factors in vaccination decisions for ARD patients.

Main Methods:

• An observational, multicenter study involving 325 adult RA and SLE patients on immunosuppressive therapy.
• Standardized questionnaires collected data on demographics, disease characteristics, vaccination status (influenza, pneumococcus, VZV, HBV, HPV), and reasons for/against vaccination.

Main Results:

• Overall vaccine coverage was 68.0%, with significant variation by vaccine type and disease (RA vs. SLE).
• Key barriers included not being offered vaccination (42.5%), concerns about efficacy/safety (18.3%), and lack of awareness (15.7%).
• Physician recommendation strongly influenced uptake, with rheumatologists driving VZV vaccination and GPs influencing influenza/HBV.

Conclusions:

• Vaccination rates in Italian ARD patients are insufficient, highlighting a critical gap in infection prevention.
• Proactive physician engagement, particularly offering vaccines and addressing patient concerns, is essential.
• Targeted educational initiatives are needed to improve vaccine awareness and uptake in this vulnerable population.