Risk factors of adverse events during treatment in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an observational study

The risk factors of adverse events during a number of currently used treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in elderly patients were examined.

A retrospective observational study was conducted for 300 elderly RA patients registered in December 2009 at Sasebo Chuo Hospital, Japan, and the adverse events during the treatments for RA were assessed.

The average age of the patients was 74.3 ± 5.8 years. The Steinbrocker stage was IV in almost one-half of the patients. Methotrexate (MTX) was used in 54.0% of patients and biologics in 23.0% of patients. Adverse events occurred in 103 patients (34.3%). The most common adverse events were infections (46.6%), including pneumonia (21.4%). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that the factors significantly related to infection were advanced Steinbrocker stage and the existence of respiratory diseases, and that of pneumonia was the existence of diabetes mellitus (DM).

The elderly RA patients with advanced stage, respiratory diseases or DM should be monitored for infections, including pneumonia, carefully during treatment.