ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 1825

Work Disability and Work Limitations in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis Are Equal and Increase with Comorbidities

Chanseok Rhee1, Janet E. Pope2, Andrew E. Thompson3, Nicole G. H. Le Riche4, Gina Rohekar5 and Sherry Rohekar5, 1School of Medicine and Dentistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentisty, Western University, London, ON, Canada, 2Medicine/Rheumatology, St. Joseph Health Care London, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada, 3Rheumatology, St. Josephs Health Ctr, London, ON, Canada, 4Department of Medicine, St. Joseph's Hospital, London, ON, Canada, 5Rheumatology, St. Joseph's Hospital, London, ON, Canada

Meeting: 2012 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: , ,

Session Information

Title: Epidemiology and Health Services Research: Rheumatic Disease Pharmacoepidemiology

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose: Few studies directly compare work disability (WD) and work productivity losses in different forms of inflammatory arthritis (IA) such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Also, the effect of comorbidities on WD in IA has not been thoroughly examined.

Methods: WD was defined as the inability to work or early retirement due to arthritis. Relationships between the Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) scores, HAQ, Patient Global Assessment (PGA) and Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) were analyzed in patients seen serially in a rheumatology clinic via standardized forms.

Results: 846 responded (65% response rate with 332 RA, 88 PsA, 58 AS) and 289 had WLQ data as they were working (139 RA, 51 PsA, 35 AS). The mean age was 51.7 (SD 14.5), 74.3% female and 11.3 years (SD 11.3) of disease duration. WD due to arthritis was 22.8% (RA), 29.9% (PsA), and 27.6% (AS) (between groups p <0.35). WD was associated with HAQ, PGA, fatigue, pain and sleep score in all three IA conditions. The average loss of the productivity from WLQ was 4.72% for IA overall and 4.47%, 4.71% and 5.77% for RA, PsA and AS, respectively (no difference between groups, p=0.405). Using Pearson correlation, the WLQ score was significantly correlated with HAQ (0.59; p<0.000), fatigue (0.51; p<0.000), pain score (0.57; p<0.000), sleep score (0.63, p<0.000), and with increasing number of comorbid conditions for all three IA conditions (RA:0.30; p<0.01, PsA:0.30; p=0.03 and AS:0.53; p<0.01) but not disease duration and gender.

Conclusion: WD and productivity loss were not different in RA, PsA and AS. WLQ scores were associated with patient factors in all IAs. Comorbidities increased the likelihood of work productivity loss and WD in all forms of IA, but the correlation was particularly strong in AS.

Disclosure:

C. Rhee,
None;

J. E. Pope,

Actelion and Pfizer,

2,

Actelion and Pfizer,

5;

A. E. Thompson,
None;

N. G. H. Le Riche,
None;

G. Rohekar,
None;

S. Rohekar,
None.

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