title: [Quality of life and activity of disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) considering their age, activity of the disease, its duration and radiological stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 151 women (mean age 55.0 years, mean duration of RA 9.4 years) and 45 men (mean age 55.0 years, mean duration of RA 9.4 years). All subjects were treated at the Department of Rheumatology and at the SPSK-1 rheumatology outpatient clinic in Szczecin. Diagnosis of RA was established according to ARA criteria of 1987. The radiological stage of the disease was established according to Steinbrocker's criteria. The patient's quality of life was evaluated with the Health Assessment Questionnaire. The activity of RA was determined with the Disease Activity Score DAS 28.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant correlation between HAQ score and DAS 28 was found (correlation coefficient--R = 0.38; p < 0.001). Age (R = 0.31, p < 0.001) and radiological stage of RA (R = 0.26, p < 0.001) were also found to affect the quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is significantly influenced by their age, activity of the disease, and radiological stage of RA.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Reumatologii Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prajs
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fliciński
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brzosko
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Przepiera-Bedzak
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ostanek
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzosko
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001175:Arthrography; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires