Frailty in older adults with systemic lupus erythematosus and emergency department utilization: an administrative claims data analysis of Medicare beneficiaries.

Introduction / Objectives: While presence of concomitant SLE and frailty has been associated with greater emergency department (ED) use than SLE alone in young/mid-aged adults, whether frailty increases ED use in older adults with SLE remains unknown. In a nationally representative United States administrative claims dataset, we investigated the association of frailty duration with use of ED services in the SLE population compared with individuals without systemic rheumatic disease (SRD).

Method: We identified Medicare beneficiaries ≥ 65 years with SLE and matched them (1:4) by age and gender with non-SRD comparators with osteoarthritis.

Epidemiology of systemic vasculitis.

Purpose Of Review: Ongoing research contributes to our understanding of the epidemiology of vasculitis and its outcomes across the globe. This review aims to summarize important research studies published on this topic in the last 18 months.

Recent Findings: The implementation of rapid referral systems and use of large vessel imaging have improved the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.

Frailty integration in medical specialties: Current evidence and suggested strategies from the Clin-STAR frailty interest group.

Frailty is a syndrome that can inform clinical treatments and interventions for older adults. Although implementation of frailty across medical subspecialties has the potential to improve care for the aging population, its uptake has been heterogenous. While frailty assessment is highly integrated into certain medical subspecialties, other subspecialties have only recently begun to consider frailty in the context of patient care.

Cognitive impairment in individuals with rheumatic diseases: the role of systemic inflammation, immunomodulatory medications, and comorbidities.

Inflammation is an important risk factor, a potential therapeutic target for cognitive decline and dementia, and an inherent feature of autoimmune and immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. The risk of cognitive impairment and dementia is increased in individuals with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases, particularly in those with cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease. Immunomodulatory medications have been associated with a reduced risk of dementia, but whether this effect is mediated through their anti-inflammatory immunomodulating properties or other mechanisms, such as cardiovascular risk reduction, is unclear.