Galician Medical Journal (Jul 2018)
Risk Factors for the Development of Low Quality of Life in Adults with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Abstract
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is known to persist into adulthood which is associated with the development of a large number of long-term consequences, including low quality of life. The objective of the research was to evaluate quality of life in young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and to analyze the risk factors for the development of its low level using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Materials and methods. There were examined 135 adult patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis without severe comorbidity at the age of 18 to 40 years and 25 apparently healthy young adults of the same age and gender. Quality of life was evaluated using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Results. In patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the physical health score (44.8±9.9) was lower (p=0.001) as compared to healthy individuals (55.7±6.9). Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis had lower indicators of physical functioning (p=0.001), role functioning (p=0.001) and bodily pain (p=0.001) than healthy individuals. However, in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the indicators of the mental health score and associated vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems and mental health did not differ from those in the control group. Prolonged morning stiffness (p<0.05) and polyarticular variant of joint damage (p<0.05) were the risk factors for the development of low physical health score in young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. According to the articular juvenile arthritis damage index (p<0.001), the presence of long-term articular damage was associated with high physical health score. There were found no risk factors for the development of low mental health score. Conclusions. Young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis at the age of 18 to 40 years had worse quality of life than healthy individuals of the same age and gender. They had worse physical well-being scores including physical functioning, role functioning and bodily pain. The risk factors for the development of low physical health score in young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis were the presence of prolonged morning stiffness as a manifestation of disease activity and polyarticular variant of joint damage, while the presence of prosthetic joints improved their physical health score.
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