Prevalence of frailty in the elderly with rheumatoid arthritis

Background:Frailty is an aging-associated process that leads to increased vulnerability to disability, dependency, and death.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can accelerate frailty in older adults.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of frailty in RA patients aged 60 years and above.Material and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional and observational study involving patients aged 60 years or older with RA, at the rheumatology clinic.Frailty was evaluated using the Ensrud criteria and the study of osteoporotic fractures index.Results: A total of 110 participants with RA were included, with a mean age of 67.2 6.2 years.Among them, 97 (88.2%) were women.Polypharmacy was seen in 71 (64.5%) individuals.The most common comorbidity was obesity, affecting 85 (77.3%) participants.Based on the assessment, 20 (18.2%) were classified as frail, 47 (42.7%) as prefrail, and 43 (39.1%) as robust.Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of frailty among elderly individuals with RA.The findings suggest the importance of finding prefrailty as it offers an opportunity for interventions to prevent advanced stages of frailty and overall decline in the health of older adults.