Efficacy and safety of inactivated SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination in COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: A real‐world retrospective observational study

Objectives To identify the effectiveness and safety of inactivated SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccines in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) patients. Methods RMD patients with COVID‐19 in Jiangsu Province were polled between December 8, 2022, and February 1, 2023. Information on demographics, disease characteristics, antirheumatic drug use, vaccination status and survival state were collected. COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia was the primary outcome. The effect of COVID‐19 immunization on RMD patients was assessed using multivariate logistic regression, and the adverse events (AEs) following vaccination were evaluated. Results Among 592 RMD patients with COVID‐19, 276 (46.6%) individuals experienced COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia, and 290 (49.0%) patients were injected with inactivated vaccines. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, vaccines reduced the incidence of COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia, and receiving booster vaccine was an independent protective factor for COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia in RMD patients (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.41–0.98, p = .034). In particular, inactivated vaccines have a protective impact on RMD patients with a high risk of developing pneumonia, including those aged 45 years and older (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34–0.83), and who have lung involvement (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23–0.82). The total AEs rate of vaccines was 13.9% (40/290), only 11 (3.8%) experienced the recurrence or deterioration of RMDs, and no serious AEs occurred. Conclusion Inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines were safe and effective in reducing the risk of COVID‐19‐associated pneumonia of RMD patients in China.