Impact of digital ulcers on disability and health-related quality of life in systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of digital ulcers (DUs) on disability and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in systemic sclerosis (SSc).


METHODS
Two hundred and thirteen patients with SSc were evaluated at four annual meetings of a patient society between 2004 and 2007 (n = 177) or during hospital stay (n = 36). HRQoL was assessed by the SF-36, global disability by the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), hand disability by the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS) and global hand and wrist mobility by the Kapandji index.


RESULTS
Sixty-seven patients (31.4%) had at least one DU at the time of evaluation. Patients with DUs showed significantly more pitting scars (p<0.001) and calcinosis (p<0.0001) than others. Patients with DU had significantly greater HAQ (mean (SD) 1.218 (0.723) vs 0.930 (0.717), p = 0.008), CHFS (mean (SD) 27.38 (20.68) vs 16.73 (18.19), p<0.0001) and aesthetic prejudice (mean (SD) 6.1 (2.2) vs 3.9 (2.5), p<0.0001) scores than others. Hand and wrist mobility were significantly diminished in patients with DU (mean (SD) Kapandji score 75.3 (22.8) vs 81.7 (19.2), p<0.0001). The presence of a DU did not significantly alter the physical component but influenced the mental component (mean (SD) 43.38 (12.53) vs 39.58 (9.54), p = 0.026) of the SF36.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with SSc with DUs have reduced wrist and hand mobility, increased global and hand disabilities and decreased mental component of HRQoL.
Mouthon
L
L
Paris Descartes University, Department of Internal Medicine, Cochin Hospital, 27 rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques, 75679 Paris Cedex 14, France. luc.mouthon@cch.aphp.fr
Mestre-Stanislas
C
C
Bérezné
A
A
Rannou
F
F
Guilpain
P
P
Revel
M
M
Pagnoux
C
C
Guillevin
L
L
Fermanian
J
J
Poiraudeau
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D050823:Hand Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000503:physiopathology