Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39656398›Full record

ArticleClinical rheumatology2025

Progression and clinical implications of frailty in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Jessica L Fairley, Dylan Hansen, Susanna Proudman, Joanne Sahhar, Gene-Siew Ngian, Jennifer Walker, Lauren V Host, Wendy Stevens, Mandana Nikpour, Laura Ross

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical rheumatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Jessica L FairleyThe University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. jessica.fairley@svha.org.au.
Dylan HansenSt. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Susanna ProudmanUniversity of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Joanne SahharMonash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Gene-Siew NgianMonash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Jennifer WalkerRoyal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Lauren V HostFiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
Wendy StevensSt. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Mandana Nikpour *The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Laura Ross *The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council GNT1176538National Health and Medical Research Council GNT2013842RACP Foundation Australian Rheumatology AssociationRACP Foundation D.E.V. Starr Research Establishment FellowshipUniversity of Melbourne John Hayden Research FellowshipUniversity of Melbourne Melbourne Medical School Strategic Grant for Outstanding Women
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

INTRODUCTION/

objectivesTo identify the frequency, correlates and progression of frailty in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

methodAll Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study participants meeting ACR/EULAR criteria with a calculable FRAIL Scale score were included. FRAIL Scale scores were calculated annually and were used to group participants as 'robust', 'pre-frail' or 'frail'. Progression of frailty over time was examined by comparing first-recorded, highest-recorded and last-recorded FRAIL Scale scores for each participant. Determinants of frailty at each visit were evaluated with ordinal logistic regression. Survival was analysed using Cox hazard modelling.

resultsOf 1703 participants, 14% and 53% met criteria for frailty or pre-frailty respectively, with 33% consistently robust. Among initially frail participants, 40% remained frail and 60% improved to pre-frailty/robustness. Of pre-frail participants, 15% became frail while 32% improved to robustness. One-third of initially robust participants progressed to pre-frailty/frailty. SSc-specific determinants of frailty included diffuse SSc (odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.8, p < 0.01), pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR 7.1, 95% CI 5.1-9.9, p < 0.01), interstitial lung disease (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.0, p < 0.01), proximal weakness (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0, p < 0.01) and lower-tract gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3-1.8, p < 0.01). Older age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.1-1.2, p < 0.01), raised CRP (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.0, p < 0.01) and anaemia (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.7, p < 0.01) were also significantly associated with frailty. A graded risk of death was observed with the diagnosis of pre-frailty and frailty states (hazard ratio (HR) 3.5, 95% CI 2.6-4.8, p < 0.01; and HR 9.8, 95% CI 6.8-14.1, p < 0.01 respectively). Frailty and pre-frailty were associated with reduced health-related quality-of-life and physical function (p < 0.05).

conclusionsFrailty and pre-frailty are common in SSc and contribute to morbidity and mortality. Both SSc and non-SSc determinants of frailty exist. Frailty in SSc is a dynamic phenomenon with potential to deteriorate or improve over time.

Indexed as

FrailtyScleroderma, SystemicAdultAgedAustraliaCohort StudiesDisease ProgressionFemaleHumansLung Diseases, InterstitialMaleMiddle AgedProportional Hazards ModelsFrailtyMortalityPhysical functionSystemic sclerosis

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.