POS1463-HPR FRAILTY IN AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS: THE IMPACT ON SELF-REPORTED PHYSICAL FUNCTION, PSYCHOSOCIAL SYMPTOMS, AND FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE
Authors: Ö. Öztürk, N. N. Uzun, Ö. Feyzioğlu, D. Şahin, Ö. Hakli, F. Saritas, M. E. Tezcan
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Frailty can have deleterious effects on health status, including an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as falls, hospitalization, and mortality. Additionally, decreased physical function and frailty are also associated with psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Frailty status is a dynamic process that may change after a certain period; therefore, periodic evaluation is important to prevent potential adverse health outcomes [1,2]. <h3>Objectives:</h3> To investigate the effects of frailty on self-reported physical functioning, psychosocial symptoms, and functional performance in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). <h3>Methods:</h3> Consecutive patients with axSpA underwent frailty screening based on Fried's criteria by evaluating grip strength, gait speed, physical activity level, exhaustion, and weight loss. The Short Physical Performance Battery was used to assess physical performance, including 4-meter-walking, chair stand, and balance tests. Self-reported physical functioning was evaluated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) and psychosocial symptoms were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Validated cut-off values were used to determine impaired physical performance. Patients were classified as frail, pre-frail, and robust, and outcome measures were compared between the groups. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the association of frailty, self-report functioning, physical performance, depression, and anxiety. <h3>Results:</h3> A total of 160 patients (46.3 % males) were include with a mean age of 49.18±7.57 years and a mean disease duration of 7.93±7.18 years. Based on Fried's criteria, frail, pre-frail, and robust patients were 17.5 %, 50.0 %, and 32.5 %, respectively. Frail and prefrail patients were older, had more physical impairment, and lower grip strength than robust patients (p&lt;0.05). Moreover, frail adults had more depression symptoms and lower self-reported functionality than pre-frail and robust patients (p&lt;0.05) (Table 1). Binary logistic regression revealed that depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.00 – 1.29) and grip strength (OR = 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.89 – 0.96) were significantly associated with being frail/pre-frail compared to being robust. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> The heightened prevalence of frailty among patients with axSpA is closely linked to an elevated risk of impaired functionality. It is crucial to address frailty through appropriate interventions including exercise therapy, focusing on improving not only physical function but also psychological health, to enhance the overall well-being of this population. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> [1] Hoogendijk et al. Lancet. 2019;1365-1375. [2] Zhao et al. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2023;159 (300-308). <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>