Mortality in rheumatoid arthritis: relationship to single and composite measures of disease activity

At baseline, the demographic and disease variables most significantly related to mortality in RA are age, nodules and RA latex titre. Individual measures of disease activity at a single point in time are poor predictors of mortality in RA. However, measurement of the mean level of disease activity over time using the composite SI has a significant relationship with mortality. A high level of sustained inflammation appears to be an important predictor of premature death.