The impact of psychological functioning upon systemic sclerosis patients' quality of life.
OBJECTIVE
To access health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, Short-Form (WHOQOL-BREF), and to identify the association between clinical, psychopathological, and personality parameters and SSc patients' HRQOL.


METHODS
Fifty-six patients with SSc were compared with 72 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 43 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 34 with Sjögren syndrome (SS), and 74 healthy controls. A wide range of clinical information was collected and the following self-report instruments were used: the WHOQOL-BREF, the General Health Questionnaire, the Symptom Distress Check List, the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire, the Defense Style Questionnaire, and the Sense of Coherence scale.


RESULTS
HRQOL perceived by SSc patients was significantly impaired compared with healthy controls. Initial examination of HRQOL across groups of rheumatology patients revealed similar HRQOL, but when age, pain, psychopathology, and coping strategies were taken into account, SSc patients had impaired physical health QOL in comparison with RA, SLE, and SS patients. Arthritis-related pain was closely associated with SSc patients' HRQOL. Elevated psychological distress symptoms as well as certain personality traits, such as maladaptive defenses and lower sense of coherence, were also associated with diminished HRQOL.


CONCLUSIONS
Impaired psychological functioning is associated with diminished HRQOL in SSc, and consequently, treatment of depressive symptoms should be considered a priority. Moreover, assessment of HRQOL should only be used in conjunction with specific psychological distress measurements, to detect the influence of psychopathology on HRQOL.
Hyphantis
Thomas N
TN
Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Tsifetaki
Niki
N
Siafaka
Vassiliki
V
Voulgari
Paraskevi V
PV
Pappa
Christina
C
Bai
Marina
M
Palieraki
Kalliopi
K
Venetsanopoulou
Aliki
A
Mavreas
Venetsanos
V
Drosos
Alexandros A
AA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology