Health-Related Quality of Life and Disease Severity of SLE Patients in Phramongkutklao Hospital
Sumapa Chaiamnuay MD*, Viyanuch Lomaratana MD*, Sangduen Sumransurp MD*, Suphawan Phukongchai MD*, Pongthorn Narongroeknawin MD*, Paijit Asavatanabodee MD*
Affiliation : * Rheumatic Disease Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : The studies of association of disease activity and damage with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in lupus
have shown equivocal results and has not been studied in Thailand.
Objective : To examine the HRQOL and to examine the association between HRQOL and SLE disease severity (disease
activity and damage) in Thai SLE patients.
Material and Method: The Short Form-36 (SF-36) was applied in 95 consecutive SLE patients. At the time of HRQOL
assessment, all patients were evaluated for disease severity [disease activity as measured by Mexican Systemic Lupus
Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (Mex-SLEDAI) and damage as measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collabo-
rating Clinic/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) damage index (SDI)]. The association between physical
(PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the SF-36 and disease severity were examined by Pearson’s correlation.
Results : Ninety-five SLE patients (93 females and 2 males) were included (mean age 39.84 + 10.91). The mean disease
duration was 115 + 83 months. The mean scores of MCS and PCS were 45.5 + 9.5 and 41.1 + 9.3, respectively. The higher
SDI scores were correlated with lower PCS but not the MCS (PCS, r = -0.411, p < 0.001). There was no correlation between
HRQOL (both MCS and PCS) and disease activity.
Conclusion : PCS of the SF-36 was inversely correlated with damage index in Thai SLE patients.
Keywords : Systemic lupus erythematosus, Health related quality of life, Disease activity, Damage, SF-36
