Table 3.
Comparative analysis of clinical features in connective tissue diseases with onset after SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccine administration
| Post-COVID-19 (n=24) | Post-vaccine (n=30) | P value | |
| Age, years | 47±18 | 55±19 | 0.134 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 19 (79.2) | 22 (73.3) | 0.618 |
| N° vaccine doses, n (%) | 2±1 | 3±1 | 0.263 |
| ANA positive, n (%) | 21 (87.5) | 28 (93.3) | 0.462 |
| >1:160, n (%) | 12 (57.1) | 16 (57.1) | 1.000 |
| >1:640, n (%) | 3 (14.3) | 5 (17.8) | 1.000 |
| ESR, mm/h | 19±16 | 28±22 | 0.728 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 0.75 (0.30–1.50) | 0.56 (0.20–2.50) | 0.551 |
| Specific diseases | |||
| UCTD, n (%) | 6 (25.0) | 11 (36.7) | 0.359 |
| Anti-SSA positive, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (27.3) | 0.159 |
| Anti-Scl-70 positive, n (%) | 2 (33.3) | 2 (18.2) | 0.482 |
| SSc, n (%) | 6 (25.0) | 6 (20.0) | 0.661 |
| Anti-Scl-70 positive, n (%) | 2 (33.3) | 2 (33.3) | 1.000 |
| ACA positive, n (%) | 3 (50.0) | 4 (66.7) | 0.558 |
| IIM, n (%) | 4 (16.7) | 6 (20.0) | 0.754 |
| Anti-Mi2 positive, n (%) | 1 (25.0) | 2 (33.3) | 0.778 |
| Anti-Pl7 positive, n (%) | 1 (25.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.197 |
| Anti-TIF1-γ, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (33.3) | 0.197 |
| ADM, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (6.7) | 0.197 |
| Anti-Mi2 positive, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (50.0) | N/A* |
| Anti-MDA5 positive, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (50.0) | N/A* |
| SLE, n (%) | 2 (8.3) | 1 (3.3) | 0.425 |
| Anti-ds-DNA positive, n (%) | 1 (50.0) | 1 (100.0) | 0.386 |
| Anti-Sm positive, n (%) | 1 (50.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.386 |
| MCTD, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (10.0) | 0.111 |
| Anti-RNP positive, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (100.0) | N/A* |
| SjS, n (%) | 1 (4.2) | 0 (0.0) | 0.259 |
| SSA positive, n (%) | 1 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | N/A* |
| Isolated acrosyndrome, n (%) | 5 (20.8) | 1 (3.3) | 0.042 |
| Acrocyanosis, n (%) | 2 (40.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0.439 |
| Raynaud’s phenomenon, n (%) | 3 (60.0) | 1 (100.0) | 0.439 |
| Treatment | |||
| Paracetamol, n (%) | 7 (29.2) | 10 (33.3) | 0.743 |
| NSAIDs, n (%) | 5 (20.8) | 6 (20.0) | 0.940 |
| GCs, n (%) | 9 (37.5) | 17 (56.7) | 0.161 |
| Intra-articular GCs, n (%) | 2 (8.3) | 0 (0.0) | 0.107 |
| Colchicine, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 3 (10.0) | 0.111 |
| MTX, n (%) | 3 (12.5) | 3 (10.0) | 0.771 |
| HCQ, n (%) | 4 (16.7) | 6 (20.0) | 0.754 |
| AZA, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (6.7) | 0.197 |
| MMF, n (%) | 1 (4.2) | 1 (3.3) | 0.872 |
| CYC, n (%) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (3.3) | 0.367 |
| IVIg, n (%) | 1 (4.2) | 1 (3.3) | 0.472 |
| CCBs, n (%) | 4 (16.7) | 2 (6.7) | 0.245 |
*Expected number in one category is equal to zero.
ACA, anti-centromere antibodies; ADM, amyopathic dermatomyositis; ANA, antinuclear antibodies; AZA, azathioprine; CCBs, calcium channel blockers; CRP, C reactive protein; CYC, cyclophosphamide; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GCs, glucocorticoids; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; IIM, idiopathic inflammatory myopathy; IVIg, intravenous immunoglobulin; MCTD, mixed connective tissue disease; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; MTX, methotrexate; N/A, not applicable; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; SjS, Sjögren’s syndrome; SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SSc, systemic sclerosis; UCTD, undifferentiated connective tissue disease.