OpenSAFELY: The impact of COVID-19 on azathioprine, leflunomide and methotrexate monitoring, and factors associated with change in monitoring rate.
Andrew D BrownLouis FisherHelen J CurtisMilan WiedemannWilliam J HulmeVictoria SpeedLisa E M HopcroftChristine CunninghamRuth E CostelloJames B GallowayMark D RussellKatie BechmanZeyneb KurtRichard CrokerChristopher WoodAlex J WalkerAndrea L SchafferSeb C J BaconAmir MehrkarGeorge HickmanChris BatesJonathan CockburnJohn ParryFrank HesterSam HarperBen Goldacrenull nullBrian MacKennaPublished in: British journal of clinical pharmacology (2024)
DMARD monitoring rates temporarily deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deterioration coincided with the onset of lockdown measures, with monitoring rates recovering rapidly as lockdown measures were eased. Differences observed in monitoring rates between medications, tests, regions and patient groups highlight opportunities to tackle potential inequalities in the provision or uptake of monitoring services. Further research should evaluate the causes of the differences identified between groups.