title: Quality of life as measured by the short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in patients with early systemic sclerosis and undifferentiated connective tissue disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients affected by early systemic sclerosis (eSSc) and to compare it with that of patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD).
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline, 31 eSSc and 35 UCTD patients underwent clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations, nailfold videocapillaroscopy, echocardiography, and lung function tests. All patients and 40 controls, matched for sex and age completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire and the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  SF-36 scores were significantly lower in eSSc and UCTD patients than in healthy controls as regards the following domains: physical component score (PCS), mental component score (MCS), physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health and mental health. PCS was negatively correlated to the HAQ-DI (rho -0.59; p=0.0004) and ESR >20 mm/h (rho -0.58; p=0.0006) in eSSc patients. No statistically significant correlation was found between PCS, MCS and HAQ-DI in UCTD patients. Age, sex, disease duration, history of arthritis, low levels of either C3 or C4, a low DLCO (carbon monoxide lung diffusion) and inversion of the E/A ratio were not correlated to PCS and MCS in either eSSc or UCTD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many eSSc or UCTD patients perceive they have an impaired quality of life in both physical and mental domains. This condition has to be taken into account by the clinicians involved in the care of these patients.
authors: Rheumatology Unit of the Second University of Naples, Via S, Pansini 5, Edificio 3, Naples 80131, Italy. michele_iudici@hotmail.com
authors: Michele
authors: M
authors: Iudici
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Cuomo
authors: Serena
authors: S
authors: Vettori
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Avellino
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Valentini
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000523:psychology*; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult