is a person with history of PMR and RS3PE considered to be "immunocompromised"?

[Danrower]

Hello all,

Is a long term history (15 years) of intermittent PMR and RS3PE considered to be a characteristic of an "immunocompromised" person?

Here in the US, there is now talk of authorizing covid-19 "booster jabs" for vaccinated individuals who are "immunocompromised."

Is there data about PMR /RS3PE patients (current or in remission) having increased inflammatory response to Covid-19, over the normal population's inflammatory response ?

Are we more vulnerable?

Thank you for you response, and Hi to my old friends, especially Eileen.

[SheffieldJane]

I definitely think you would be in the qualifying category. In the U.K. I think we will be having booster vaccines in the Autumn. The nurse at my GP’s practice told me. For the science you will need Eileen.

[piglette in reply to SheffieldJane]

32 million vaccines for the over fifties from September apparently in U.K. The WHO thinks we should be giving them to countries that have not been able to get vaccines yet.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Aye well - given today's early comments about one study, we will be needing a tweaked vaccine that works better for the delta variant! It is shortening the illness, saving lives - but it doesn't seem to reduce the viral load and therefore the transmissibility during the period you are ill. So it still spreads ...

Not sure they count as immunocompromising - if you are not on medication that suppresses the immune system

[mgrogers99 in reply to PMRpro]

I'm considered immunosuppressed (USA) because of being on prednisone and methotrexate, not because I have PMR.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to mgrogers99]

Exactly

[Danrower]

I must add here that I am on 2-3 mg of prednisone to deal with my flare from a knee revision from infection, 1 year post knee replacement. My path since a significant PMR experience in 2013 is to reach remission (0 pred), then, after a flare, very low dose pred until remission, again. and again. PMR, my constant, sometimes invisible, companion. So then , am I to assume that if medicated with prednisone means immunosuppressed?

Thank you all for you consideration of this that may have effects on all of us.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Danrower]

I think it depends on the dose - low doses under 5mg or so, probably don't have a significant effect as that is within the physiological range of corticosteroid, the amount the body requires to function day to day anyway.