Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
Measuring Frailty in HIV-infected Individuals. Identification of Frail Patients is the First Step to Amelioration and Reversal of Frailty
Published on: July 24, 2013
Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Frailty Index predicts mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus
Benny Harold Rashuamán-Conche1, Rocio Violeta Gamboa-Cárdenas1,2, Victor Román Pimentel-Quiroz1,2
1Rheumatology Department, Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen, EsSalud, Lima, Peru.
Objective:
Frailty has been shown to predict damage accrual in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including those from Latin America. However, the impact of frailty on mortality has been scarcely evaluated, particularly in Latin American populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate frailty as a predictor of mortality in Latin American SLE patients.
Methods:
Patients from a single-centre 2012-2025 prevalent cohort were studied. Mortality was defined as the vital status according to the Peruvian Department of Health. Frailty was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Frailty Index (SLICC-FI) as a continuous variable. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were done to estimate its impact on mortality. Multivariable models were adjusted for possible confounders. Sensitivity analyses were performed including data up to March 2020 to avoid the potential influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a Kaplan-Meier curve was calculated by frail status (frail, SLICC-FI >0.21; non-frail, SLICC-FI ≤0.21).
Results:
Four hundred and ninety-five patients were included, 456 (92.1%) were women and 96 (19.4%) were frail. Their mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 35.0 (14.0) years, their mean disease duration at baseline was 6.7 (6.1) years and their mean follow-up time was 8.5 (4.2) years. Fifty-six (11.3%) patients died during the follow-up. The SLICC-FI predicted mortality even after adjusting for possible confounders (hazard ratio (HR)=1.54 (CI 95% 1.11 to 2.14), p=0.010). This prediction capability remained on the sensitivity analyses (HR 1.85; (95% CI 1.30 to 2.61), p<0.001).
Conclusion:
Frailty, as ascertained with the SLICC-FI, was a predictor of mortality in a Latin American cohort of SLE patients. Frailty could be considered in the monitoring of SLE patients; possible interventions to modify it should be developed.
