Treatment satisfaction and health status in patients with systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease. Few data are available on treatment satisfaction, determinants of quality of life, and the health status of dermatology patients with SSc.

Cross-sectional study based on 72 consecutive dermatological patients with SSc. Objective clinical data were collected with a physician's questionnaire and subjective data were collected with a patients' questionnaire on disease characteristics, treatment satisfaction, quality of life, depressive symptoms, and Antonovsky's sense of coherence (SOC). We also tested the significance of possible determinants of treatment satisfaction.

Treatment satisfaction was 72.0 (± 22.2; VAS 1-100). The assessment of professional competence of the treating physician was the most important determinant of treatment satisfaction and was independent of the patient's age and sex. The assessment of physician empathy, information about the disease, and the patient's own evaluation of the severity of disease were also associated with treatment satisfaction. The mean health-related quality of life (QoL; EQ-5D) was 0.74 (± 0.28) and the mean SOC was 72.6 (± 10.6). 58 % of patients reported moderate to severe pain and 13 % were treated for pain symptoms. In 69 % there was evidence of probable depression (CES-D $ 22); 8 % were on antidepressants.

Treatment satisfaction was average and correlated especially with the sense of professional competence of the treating physician. In SSc patients, a diminished health-related quality of life as well as pain and evidence of depression are common and seem to be inadequately treated. However, the SOC indicates a lower general vulnerability. In the future, screening for pain and symptoms of depression should part of routine practice in SSc patients and, if necessary, interdisciplinary care should be initiated.