March 11, 2019

A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology by many top lupus clinicians found that a frailty index (FI) provides a novel measure of health among people with lupus.  Constructed using data from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) group, the FI also predicts risk of mortality.

The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) “is an international group of rheumatologists and immunologists that focuses on helping develop “standardized outcome measures to better characterize lupus activity and damage as well as its response to varying treatments.”

The SLICC-FI is a measurement tool evaluating 48 health issues including organ damage, disease activity, co-existing conditions, and functional status. Examining data from 1,683 people with lupus, the tool was shown to be valid in measuring health status and predicting life expectancy.

Researchers also concluded that the SLICC-FI helps identify patients’ vulnerability for poor outcomes, which may help guide treatment.