Rheumatoid Arthritis, Frailty, and Outcomes of Surgical Hospitalizations: A National Population‐Based Analysis
Authors' conclusion
RA was associated with higher odds of DHRN after orthopedic intermediate-risk surgery but not CACE or inpatient mortality. Moreover, HFRS was associated with DHRN, CACE, and death.
Study context
- Population
- Adults (≥18 years) with elective hospitalizations with noncardiac surgery, National Inpatient Sample 2018 to 2020
- Participants
- 8,800,359 hospitalizations
- Exposure
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) vs no RA; frailty by Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS)
- Outcome
- Discharge health resources need (DHRN), composite adverse clinical events (CACE), and death
Methodological detailsNational Inpatient Sample (2018 to 2020), adjusted for confounders and frailty
- National Inpatient Sample (2018 to 2020)
- Adjusted for confounders and frailty
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
DHRN, CACE and death, RA vs no RA (adjusted for confounders and frailty)
Each group vs no RAEstimate (95% CI)P value
RA
aOR (CACE) 0.91(0.82–1.01)
P = 0.08RA
aOR (death) 0.90(0.71–1.15)
P = 0.41RA
aOR (DHRN) 1.28(1.25–1.31)
P < 0.001- Discharge health resources need (DHRN) occurred in (overall)
- 28.9%
- Composite adverse clinical events (CACE) occurred in (overall)
- 0.93%
- All-cause mortality (overall)
- 0.17%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Estimate | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DHRN by surgery type (sensitivity analysis)RAvs No RASensitivity analysis | aOR (orthopedic intermediate-risk surgery) 1.10 (95% CI 1.07–1.13) | P < 0.001 | |
| DHRN by surgery type (sensitivity analysis)RAvs No RASensitivity analysis | aOR (nonorthopedic intermediate-risk surgery) 1.10 (95% CI 0.98–1.23) | P = 0.11 | |
| 0.512Ratio (log scale) |
Outcomes per 10-point increase in HFRS
- Increased DHRN (fold)
- 3.8
- Increased CACE (fold)
- 8.5
- Increased mortality (fold)
- 22.8
Original publication
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Frailty, and Outcomes of Surgical Hospitalizations: A National Population‐Based Analysis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Published 29 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →