Prevelance of Frailty and Its Associated Factors in Patients With Axial Spondyloarthritis

Axial Spondyloarthritis is an inflammatory arthritis disease and its main symptoms are chronic pain and stiffness, causing structural damage to the spinal vertebrae. Axial Spondyloarthritis leads to physical disability and a decrease in the level of physical activity. Frailty is a syndrome characterized by decline in physiological reserve and loss of muscle strength. Frailty can lead to vulnerability of individuals to possible injuries and a decrease in independence, and ultimately an increase in mortality. Although frailty is associated with older adults, it has been reported that it can be detected in patients with cancer, diabetes and rheumatological diseases and it is not related with age. Frailty has been reported to be a reversible and a treatable condition. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of frailty and the relationship between frailty and disease activity, physical functional level, quality of life and other associated factors in individuals with Axial Spondyloarthritis.