Frailty Predicts Incident Osteoporotic Fractures in Veterans with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors' conclusion
Frailty is associated with an increased risk of incident osteoporotic fracture in RA.
Study context
- Population
- Veterans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry (mean age 64.3 years; 88% men)248 incident fractures
- Participants
- 2,912 veterans
- Exposure
- Frailty categories vs robust
- Outcome
- Incident osteoporotic fracture (administrative codes, validated by physician chart review)
Methodological detailsregistry-based, multivariable Cox proportional hazard models
- Registry-based
- Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident osteoporotic fracture by baseline frailty category
Each group vs robustAdjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)P value
Mild
2.02(1.37–2.97)
P < 0.001for trendModerate
2.99(1.83–4.87)
P < 0.001for trendSevere
4.67(2.41–9.03)
P < 0.001for trendObservational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incident fracture by individual VA Frailty Index (VAFI) components (functional deficits)
- Failure to thrive, aHR
- 4.57 (95% CI 1.10-18.94)
- Muscular issues, aHR
- 2.42 (95% CI 1.69-3.4)
- Gait abnormality, aHR
- 2.01 (95% CI 1.39-2.93)
- All P < 0.05
Original publication
Frailty Predicts Incident Osteoporotic Fractures in Veterans with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 22 June 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →