SLICC-FI May Predict Future Organ Damage Accrual in People with Lupus
A new study finds that the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) frailty index (FI) not only serves as a measure to predict mortality, it can also predict the degree of damage accrual a person with lupus is likely to experience. Investigators looked at baseline SLICC/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) and SLICC-FI scores of over 1,500 people with lupus and compared them to follow-up SDI and SLICC-FI measures in later years. They found higher baseline SLICC-FI values were associated with greater increases in SDI (organ damage) at follow-up visits.
SLICC-FI is designed to assess degree of frailty, meaning the loss of physiologic reserves, which results in increased vulnerability to disease. The measure has been shown to help predict risk of mortality as well as other health outcomes, like falls, fractures, use of healthcare services, and hospitalizations. Because the association between SLICC-FI and damage accrual was found to be independent of other demographic and clinical characteristics, the findings suggest overall frailty is likely a driving risk factor for ongoing organ damage.
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is currently working with the SLICC group, an international network of rheumatologists and immunologists dedicated to clinical research on lupus and LFA partner, to assess and strengthen the SDI.
While more research is needed to understand the relationship between SDI and frailty, it’s clear self-care is essential to staying strong and healthy when living with lupus. Learn why staying active is the key to improving outcomes.