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Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have higher rates of sarcopenia and frailty than the general population because they have reduced muscle strength due to the disease. In RA patients, the relationship between and the prevalence of concomitant sarcopenia and frailty is unclear. Objectives: The characteristics of RA patients with sarcopenia and frailty were investigated to clarify their interrelationship. Methods: Background data from the multicenter, prospective, observational study, "The effect of biologics and JAK inhibitors on sarcopenia in RA (PRESENT Study)," were used. The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 diagnostic criteria were used to diagnose sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia, and the Japanese-Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS) criteria were used for frailty and pre-frailty. Two hundred RA patients who required tight control were divided into those with or without sarcopenia or with or without frailty, and patients' background characteristics, disease activity, treatment, body composition, and muscle function were compared. The interrelationship between sarcopenia and frailty was also examined. Results: The incidences of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia were 20% and 10%, respectively. Those with sarcopenia were significantly older, had longer disease duration, more advanced Stage and Class, higher RF positivity, higher C-reactive protein (CRP) level, higher methotrexate (MTX) use, lower muscle and fat mass, and weaker grip strength (Table 1). On the other hand, the incidences of frailty and pre-frailty were 40% and 54%, respectively. The frailty group was significantly older, had more advanced Stage and Class, higher DAS28-ESR, higher mHAQ, higher CRP level, higher glucocorticoid usage rate, lower muscle mass, weaker grip strength, and slower walking speed (Table 2). Sarcopenia and frailty were combined in 10% of patients (50% of sarcopenia and 25% of frailty patients). A significant positive correlation was found between severe sarcopenia and frailty (correlation coefficient 0.31, pConclusion: In RA patients requiring enhanced therapy, the incidences of sarcopenia and frailty were 20% and 40%, respectively, and both were present in 10% of patients. In particular, patients with frailty had high disease activity and a marked decline in muscle function. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None declared.
Tada et al. (Sat,) studied this question.