COVID-19 epidemiology in rheumatic diseases in Tuscany: a case control study.

• The different screening methodology to capture cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with rheumatic diseases may result in a variation in the incidence of COVID-19 compared to the general population. • Study confirms the role of corticosteroids in increasing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with chronic rheumatic diseases (RA, AS, PsA) rather than in while connective tissue diseases. • Patients with chronic rheumatic diseases require careful surveillance through serological tests and confirmations with RT-PCR.