Quality of life of patients with arterial hypertension, obesity and gout

Abstract

Aim. To investigate the quality of life in patients with comorbid diseases - hypertension, obesity and gout. Material and Methods. The study involved 120 patients, including 80 patients with arterial hypertension stage II 2 degrees combined with obesity and gout assigned to the main group; comparison group consisted of 40 patients with arterial hypertension stage II 2 degrees without obesity and gout. Patients of the main group (n = 80) were divided according to the degree of obesity: 40 patients with obesity of the first degree, 22 patients - second degree and 18 patients - third degree. In order to compare the studied parameters with normal variations, 15 healthy individuals were examined. The assessment of health was carried out using questionnaires - HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire); the assessment of quality of life - according to the EuroQol-5 (Europian Quality of Life Questionnaire) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Status Questionnaire. SF-36 consists of 36 items grouped into 8 scales: physical activity (Physical Functioning - PF); role of physical problems in limiting life activity (Role-Physical - RP); the intensity of pain (Bodily Pain - BP); general health (General Health - GH); vitality (Vitality - VT); social activity (Social Functioning - SF); role of emotional issues in limiting life activity (Role-Emotional - RE); Mental Health (Mental Health - MH). Physical status was evaluated on five scales - (PF, RP, BP, GH, VT), psychosocial status - on scales RE, SF, MH, GH, VT. Results and Discussion. All questionnaires that were used to assess the quality of life and health of patients, have shown that obesity and gout, as chronic progressive diseases, adversely affect the quality of life and decrease the patients' health, functional activity, and the ability of self-service. Using the questionnaires HAQ, EuroQol-5 and SF-36 revealed deterioration of the quality of life in patients with comorbid disorders; limitations of daily physical activity showed significantly higher rates in patients of the main group (p<0,001). The total physical health component (PF, RP, BP, GH, VT) and the value of psychological component of health (RE, SF, MH, GH, VT), according to the questionnaire SF-36 in the main group were significantly lower than in the comparison group (p<0,001). The most reduced were the indicators characterizing the physical health. This indicated that obesity and gout significantly limit physical activity of patients and their ability to tolerate exercise and perform daily activities; patients also showed lower resistance to disease. Average indexes of viability (p<0,001) and social functioning of the main group (p <0,001) were lower than the comparison group and showed limitations of vital activity and social contacts. The role emotional functioning did not differ significantly from the average population values. Conclusions. The data on the evaluation of the quality of life of patients with arterial hypertension, obesity and gout determine the social significance of comorbidity - obesity and gout, and the necessity of in-depth research of this comorbid condition.

Keywords

• quality of life, hypertension, gout, obesity