Abstract: Epidemiology Clinical characteristics of 17 patients with COVID-19 and systemic autoimmune diseases: a retrospective study Yao Huang,1 Zhe Chen,2 Yu Wang,2 Liang Han,1 Kai Qin ‍ ‍,2 Wenya Huang,2 Ying Huang,2 Hui Wang ‍ ‍,1 Pan Shen,1 Xin Ba,1 Weiji Lin,1 Hui Dong,2 Mingmin Zhang,2 Shenghao Tu ‍ ‍2 Handling editor Josef S Smolen ►► Additional material is published online only. To view please visit the journal online (http://d​ x.​doi.o​ rg/​10.​1136/​ annrheumdis-​2020-​217425). 1 Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China 2 Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China Correspondence to Professor Shenghao Tu, Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, TongJi Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China; ​shtu@​tjh.t​ jmu.​edu.​cn YH and ZC contributed equally. Received 26 March 2020 Revised 23 May 2020 Accepted 25 May 2020 Published Online First 16 June 2020 Abstract Objectives Increasing data about COVID-19 have been acquired from the general population. We aim to further evaluate the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases (AIDs). Methods We included all confirmed inpatients with COVID-19 and systemic AIDs in Wuhan Tongji Hospital from 29 January to 8 March 2020. We retrospectively collected and analysed information on epidemiology of 1255 inpatients and additional clinical characteristics of patients with systemic AIDs. Outcomes were followed up until 16 April 2020. Results Of the 1255 patients with COVID-19, the median age was 64.0 years and 53.1% were male. More than half (63.0%) had chronic comorbidities. The proportions of elderly, male and patients with comorbidities were significantly higher in intensive care unit (ICU) than in the general ward (p<0.001). 17 (0.61%) patients with systemic AIDs were further screened and analysed from 2804 inpatients. The median age was 64.0 years and 82.4% were female. All patients were living in Wuhan and two family clusters were found. 1 (5.9%) patient was admitted to ICU and one died. 10 (62.5%) of 16 patients changed or stopped their anti-­ AIDs treatments during hospitalisation, and 5 of them felt that the disease had worsened after the quarantine. Conclusions Older males with chronic comorbidities are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19. The lower proportion of COVID-19 in patients with systemic AIDs needs more high-­quality human clinical trials and in-­ depth mechanism researches. Of note, the withdrawal of anti-­AIDs treatments during hospitalisation can lead to flares of diseases.