How Were the Elderly RA Patients Doing Over the Past Year?-A Post Hoc Analysis for Telephone Based Following Up to RA...

The quality of life (QoL) of elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Zunyi China based on health parameters has not been previously analyzed. This study compares the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores and prevailing health complications between <60y and ≥60y patients with RA. Data from 1166 patients with RA who visited the rheumatology department of Zunyi Medical University Hospital were followed up and retrospectively analyzed.

Data from 1166 patients with RA who visited the rheumatology department of Zunyi Medical University Hospital (2021.1-2022.8) were followed up and retrospectively analyzed.

Twenty cases passed away at 61.55 ± 8.11y, which was 6.75 years less than the local average age of death. Elderly patients with RA reported lower recovery levels, and their levels of inflammatory markers such as Immunoglobulin M-rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were significantly higher than those of younger patients during their past one-year observation period. The SF-36 results indicated that eight items of QoL in the elderly patients were all significantly inferior to <60y patients, while the complications of interstitial lung disease (ILD), latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and, lung and herpes zoster infections were significantly higher.

Elderly patients had a higher disease activity along with poor QoL, more health-related complications, and susceptibility to infections. Our study emphasizes the imperative need for optimization of RA treatment modalities in the elderly to alleviate their sufferings.