Krousel-Wood MA, Quinet R, Davis W, Gomez NF, Chambers R.

AHSR FHSR Annu Meet Abstr Book. 1996; 13: 171.

Ochsner Medical Foundation Hospital, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: How patients function in their routine activies is an important outcome in patients with chronic systemic disease. Frequency distribution of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) role functioning (physical) scale revealed a bimodal distribution of responses in SLE patients seen in a Rheumatology section of a multispecialty clinic. The purpose of this analysis was to determine disease variables predicting physical role functioning in this patient population. STUDY POPULATION: We studied 71 patients with SLE making visits to the Rheumatology section of a multispecialty clinic. STUDY DESIGN: A cross sectional study design was employed. For approximately 16 months, self-administered SF-36 forms were distributed to SLE patients, and physicians completed SLAM (SLE Activity Measure) forms on SLE patients presenting for a clinic visit. Based on the bimodal distribution (range=0-100; a higher number indicates better functioning), the logical cut point for the physical role function scale was 50; this resulted in 48% of the responses in the 50 pound group. Components of the SLAM (24 questions pertaining to constitutional, integument, eye, reticuloendothelial, pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and neuromotor signs and symptoms) were independently assessed with univariate and multivariate methods. Frequency distributions, frequency table analysis, and logistic regression analysis were performed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Of the 71 SLE patients participating in the study, 52% were white, 94% female, and the mean age was 48 years (Standard Deviation +/- 14 years). These patients in the study resulted in 242 patient visits with complete data (SF-36, SLAM) for analysis. The final logistic regression model included the variables with the best predictive relationship to physical role function: fatigue and joint pain. The model is as follows: In (p/1-p)=1.077 -0.9 (Fatigue) -0.9 (Joint Pain) (Goodness of fit (GOF) Chi Square (log likelihood) = 3,619, 1 degress of freedom, p=0.06). The test of coefficients for fatigue was -3.19 and for joint pain was -3.95 (p<.001 for both). CONCLUSION: In this patient population, the fatigue and joint pain components of the SLAM tool are significantly associated with the SF-36 physical role functioning scale. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE AND POLICY AND/OR HEALTH CARE DELIVERY: These results indicate 2 clinical symptoms inversely associated with physical role functional status. Treatment efforts focused on reducing fatigue and joint pain in these patients may improve their physical role functioning and ability to function in routine activities.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Activities of Daily Living
• Autoimmune Diseases
• Chronic Disease
• Female
• Humans
• Logistic Models
• Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
• Lupus Vulgaris
• Regression Analysis
• rehabilitation
• hsrmtgs

Other ID:

• HTX/97604477

UI: 102222379

From Meeting Abstracts