PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Atsuko Murota
AU  - Yuko Kaneko
AU  - Kunihiro Yamaoka
AU  - Tsutomu Takeuchi
TI  - Safety of Biologic Agents in Elderly Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.160012
DP  - 2016 Sep 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - jrheum.160012
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2016/08/29/jrheum.160012.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2016/08/29/jrheum.160012.full
AB  - Objective To clarify the safety of biologics in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Biologics were analyzed for safety in relation to age in 309 patients. Results Young (< 65 yrs old, n = 174), elderly (65–74 yrs old, n = 86), and older elderly patients (≥ 75 yrs old, n = 49) were enrolled. Although the incidence of adverse events causing treatment withdrawal was significantly higher in elderly and old elderly compared with young patients, no difference was found between elderly and older elderly patients. Pulmonary complications were independent risk factors. Conclusion Old patients require special attention, although the safety of biologics in those ≥ 75 years old and 65–74 was comparable.