Quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: positive associations with younger age, higher education, low disease activity, and corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide treatment—cross-sectional study in northwestern Poland

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) - chronic autoimmune disease affecting health-related quality of life (QoL). To estimate the associations between QoL and age, disease activity, education level, and treatment in patients with SLE. We studied 200 SLE patients. Data collected: sex, age, disease duration, socioeconomic status, disease activity, and treatment. QoL was assessed using the Lupus Quality of Life Questionnaire (LupusQoL), 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Younger patients reported better QoL (all p < 0.001). Disease duration correlated positively with pain (p = 0.002) and role limitations due to physical health (p = 0.03) in the SF-36. Low SLEDAI correlated positively with QoL in most of the domains assessed by the LupusQoL (all p < 0.05), despite physical health, pain and burden to others, and intimate relationships (all p > 0.05). The use of CS improved physical health (p = 0.01) and physical functioning (p = 0.03) in the LupusQoL and SF-36, respectively. Intravenous cyclophosphamide improved physical health (p = 0.01), oral cyclophosphamide improved intimate relationships (p = 0.003) in the LupusQoL. Secondary and higher education correlated positively with planning (p = 0.007 and p = 0.005, respectively) and intimate relationships (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0002, respectively) in the LupusQoL and with role limitations due to emotional problems (p = 0.01 and p = 0.007, respectively) in the SF-36. QoL assessment in patients with SLE was positively associated with younger age, higher education, low disease activity, and treatment.