Severity of rheumatoid arthritis, function and quality of life: sub-group comparisons

The main purpose of this study was to explore whether people with more severe rheumatoid arthritis, as diagnosed by increasing functional disability, also exhibit a poorer quality of life, being more negatively affected by the disease, than individuals with less severe rheumatoid arthritis. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 169 females and 53 males with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional status was measured according to the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), overall ill-health was assessed by the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the quality of life assessment was performed using a generic quality of life assessment package (QLsc). The severity of RA, as measured by HAQ, correlated both with changes due to disease and the quality of life status, and with SIP. The intrusion of the disease appeared to be greatest within the physical life domain, followed by the psychological and social domains. Correlations between the physical, psychological and social life domains were high. Although the relationship between the various life domains is complex, the present study confirms a significant relation between physical and psycho-social dysfunction.