Publication:

Five year retrospective study of mortality in systemic inflammatory rheumatologic disorders

Background Inflammatory systemic rheumatologic disorders are responsible for significant morbidity and premature deaths. The present study was done to assess causes of mortality in these patients.

Methods In the retrospective study, the death records of patients with inflammatory rheumatologic illnesses from January 2012 to January 2017 were studied. The demographic details, disease activity, organ involvement, treatment received and evidence of infection were noted.

Results 50 records were analyzed (25 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 13 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), four immune myositis, three systemic sclerosis (SS), two takayasu’s arteritis (TA), two ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and one granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)). The me an age of death was 39.94 years. Sixteen patients had disease related organ damage, 17 had active disease. Infection was present in 31 patients (gram negative organisms most commonly isolated), being the major contributor of mortality. Only two patients succumbed to acute coronary syndrome.

Conclusions Infection, disease activity and organ damage due to the disease are the major contributors to of death in hospitalized patients with inflammatory rheumatological disorders.