HEALTH-STATUS AS A PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A 5-YEAR STUDY

  • 1 May 1990
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 17  (5) , 609-613
Abstract
We examined the utility of health status scores as predictors of mortality in a 5-year study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Of 279 patients with a known outcome after an average of 5 years of followup, 37 had died. Scores derived from the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales indicated that mobility and general health perception were significant predictors of mortality with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of: 1.19 (1.05, 1.33) adn 1.27 (1.04, 1.55), respectively. These measures were particularly predictive of dying at worse levels of health status with a significant linear trend for mobility (p < 0.05) and general health perception (p < 0.01). Even after controlling for physical function, poorer levels of general health perception were significantly associated with mortality, (p < 0.01 for linear trend). Our results confirm that certain health status measures are related to subsequent mortality in patients with RA.