01-06-2014 | Uitgave 5/2014
Relationship of EQ-5D quality of life with the presence of co-morbidity and extra-articular features in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
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- Quality of Life Research > Uitgave 5/2014
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Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11136-013-0597-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Abstract
Purpose
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with extra-articular features (ExRA) and other co-morbidities. The aim of this study is to quantify their relative contribution to quality of life (QOL) in patients with RA.
Methods
A consecutive series of 114 ambulatory RA patients aged between 40 and 65 years were assessed by a research nurse on a single occasion. Assessment included a patient questionnaire (including EQ-5D), medication review and fasting venous blood sample. Medical records were reviewed by a rheumatologist for co-existing conditions. Multiple linear regression was used to adjust mean differences in EQ-5D in the presence/absence of co-existing conditions for age, sex, university education, arthritis duration, rheumatoid factor, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, current disease-modifying drug therapy, previous hand joint erosions and joint surgery.
Results
Mean age was 54 years (82 % female) and median arthritis duration 10 years. Unadjusted EQ-5D was −0.09 (95 % CI −0.18 to −0.01) lower in patients with any co-existing condition. EQ-5D scores were inversely correlated with the overall number of co-existing conditions (Spearman’s ρ −0.31, p = 0.001), number of co-morbidities (ρ −0.22, p = 0.02) and number of ExRA features (ρ −0.22, p = 0.02). There was a linear trend of lower EQ-5D with increasing number of co-existing conditions (p = 0.003). EQ-5D was −0.18 (95 % CI −0.33 to −0.02) lower in the presence of more than two co-existing conditions compared to none. Co-morbidity and ExRA features were associated with comparable adjusted reductions (−0.05 vs. −0.06) in EQ-5D scores.
Conclusion
A wide range of co-existing conditions are associated with poorer QOL in patients with RA.