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Health related Quality of Life in Libyan patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Abstract
Background: In order to measure therapeutic effects or assess disease course, outcome measurement parameters are commonly used in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Quality of Life (QoL) is important outcome measure. There is a paucity of data on the impact of chronic rheumatic diseases on functional disability, as well as Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in Africans (1). Unfortunately there is no available data about HRQOL in Libya.
Objective: Evaluation of RA burden in Libya was the aim of the study; the study goal was to determine Health Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), who are on disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD).
Setting: Rheumatology clinic of Tripoli Medical Center, Tripoli, Libya.
Methods: The inclusion criteria for the study were all patients who were diagnosed to have RA by the American College of Rheumatology ACR criteria of 1987, were on DMARDs (started within 6 months of disease duration), had a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) of 2.6-5.1, attended the rheumatology clinic of Tripoli Medical Center, Tripoli, Libya, from 1st June 2010 to 30th July 2010 and consented to participate in the study. The study was done after receiving consent from the Tripoli Medical Center ethical and research committee.
Results: One hundred patients were included in the study. The age at diagnosis ranged from 15 to 73 years; the median age was 39 years. The majority of patients were females 94 (94%) patients and 6 (6%) patients were male. The disease duration (symptoms onset to evaluation) ranged from 6 months to 40 years, the median disease duration was 7 years. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 72 (72%) patients. They had a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) of 2.6-5.1. They were on DMARDs started within 6 months of disease duration, 85% were on methotrexate, 10% were on hydroxychloroquine and 5% were on sulfasalazine. Sixty five percent were on prednisolone tablets (5mg) in addition to DMARDs. Sixty three percent of patients had score 0-1, 25% of them had score 1-2 and 12% had score 2-3. The mean of HAQ score for all patients was 0.86 with standard deviation (SD) of 0.76. The median was 0.75 (range 0.000-2.625).
Conclusion: After evaluation of the RA burden in Libya, we found that 63% of our patients had HAQ score of 0-1, which means mild to moderate disability. In this study, patients selected were using DMARDs at early stage of the disease, (disease duration 6 months), in further studies, we will compare these results
with results of patients who had used DMARDs at later stage of the disease.
Objective: Evaluation of RA burden in Libya was the aim of the study; the study goal was to determine Health Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), who are on disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD).
Setting: Rheumatology clinic of Tripoli Medical Center, Tripoli, Libya.
Methods: The inclusion criteria for the study were all patients who were diagnosed to have RA by the American College of Rheumatology ACR criteria of 1987, were on DMARDs (started within 6 months of disease duration), had a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) of 2.6-5.1, attended the rheumatology clinic of Tripoli Medical Center, Tripoli, Libya, from 1st June 2010 to 30th July 2010 and consented to participate in the study. The study was done after receiving consent from the Tripoli Medical Center ethical and research committee.
Results: One hundred patients were included in the study. The age at diagnosis ranged from 15 to 73 years; the median age was 39 years. The majority of patients were females 94 (94%) patients and 6 (6%) patients were male. The disease duration (symptoms onset to evaluation) ranged from 6 months to 40 years, the median disease duration was 7 years. Rheumatoid factor was positive in 72 (72%) patients. They had a 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) of 2.6-5.1. They were on DMARDs started within 6 months of disease duration, 85% were on methotrexate, 10% were on hydroxychloroquine and 5% were on sulfasalazine. Sixty five percent were on prednisolone tablets (5mg) in addition to DMARDs. Sixty three percent of patients had score 0-1, 25% of them had score 1-2 and 12% had score 2-3. The mean of HAQ score for all patients was 0.86 with standard deviation (SD) of 0.76. The median was 0.75 (range 0.000-2.625).
Conclusion: After evaluation of the RA burden in Libya, we found that 63% of our patients had HAQ score of 0-1, which means mild to moderate disability. In this study, patients selected were using DMARDs at early stage of the disease, (disease duration 6 months), in further studies, we will compare these results
with results of patients who had used DMARDs at later stage of the disease.
