Aim: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) is commonly seen in older patients. The present study intended to clarify whether elderly-onset AAV (at age ≥75 years) shows any specific clinical features and outcomes in Japanese patients.
Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. A total of 36 AAV patients who were initially treated at the Department of Rheumatology, Fukushima Medical University Hospital (Fukushima, Japan) between 2004 and 2016 were included. AAV patients were divided into an elderly group (≥75 years) and a younger group (<75 years), and their clinical records were reviewed.
Results: Elderly AAV patients showed similar clinical features to younger AAV patients, except that they were more often women, weighed less, had an increased frequency of kidney involvement and had lower serum ferritin levels. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed significantly lower 1-year survival in elderly AAV (P =0.008) as well as AAV patients enrolled not receiving additional immunosuppressive treatment (P =0.023). The cause of death was disease progression itself or infection.
Conclusions: The clinical features of AAV are similar between elderly and younger patients, except for increased kidney involvement and lower serum ferritin levels. Proper monitoring of the disease and adverse events, and providing conventional immunosuppressive therapy is suggested to avoid a poor outcome, especially in elderly AAV patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1453-1457.
Keywords: anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis; clinical features; elderly onset; ferritin; outcome.
© 2018 Japan Geriatrics Society.