Frailty in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Associations With Performance Tests, Psychological Resilience, and the Geriatric 8 Screening Tool.

OBJECTIVE

To compare frailty-related performance and G8 screening results between adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and matched controls, and to examine associations of DAS28-CRP and resilience with these outcomes in RA.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 100 adults with RA and 100 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Participants completed timed up and go (TUG), 4-m gait speed, and G8. Within RA, multivariable models assessed continuous outcomes and prespecified thresholds (TUG ≥13.5 s, gait speed ≤0.8 m/s, G8 ≤14).

RESULTS

Compared with controls, the RA group had longer TUG times (11.4±4.4 vs. 6.6±2.9 s), slower gait speed (0.79±0.24 vs. 0.86±0.19 m/s), lower G8 scores (14.2±2.5 vs. 15.4±1.7), and more frequent G8 ≤14 (42% vs. 26%; all p ≤0.026). In RA, higher DAS28-CRP was associated with longer TUG time (12.6% increase, 95% CI: 6.5-19.1), lower gait speed (-0.06 m/s, 95% CI: -0.09 to -0.02), and lower G8 score (-0.62, 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.20). Higher resilience per 10-point increase was associated with shorter TUG time (-4.6%, 95% CI: -7.3 to -1.7), faster gait speed (0.03 m/s, 95% CI: 0.02-0.05), and higher G8 score (0.53, 95% CI: 0.35-0.71). Threshold-based analyses were directionally consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with RA showed less favorable performance and G8 profiles than matched controls. Within RA, disease activity and resilience were independently associated with objective performance and G8 outcomes. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine temporal relationships and prognostic relevance.