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Role of depressive symptoms in the health-related quality of life of Venezuelan patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Results from a tertiary care center

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Abstract

Introduction/objective

To examine the effect of depressive symptoms on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in Venezuelan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

HR-QoL was assessed in a cross-sectional, single-center study of 212 consecutive Venezuelan patients with RA (1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria) using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36), which includes a Physical Composite Scale (PCS) and a Mental Composite Scale (MCS); depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Covariates included socio-demographics, comorbidities, disease characteristics, body mass index, and disability. Unadjusted and multivariable linear regression analysis were used to determine the effect of depressive symptoms on HR-QoL.

Results

Mean age was 50.2 years and 89.6% were female. Twenty-five percent of patients had depressive symptoms. In the multivariable regression analysis, the presence of depressive symptoms changed the mental SF-36 scores by − 4.81 (p = 0.0052) and the physical SF-36 scores by − 3.33 (p = 0.0527). Other factors significantly associated with scores on the PCS of the SF-36 were functional class, disability and job loss due to RA.

Conclusions

The presence of depressive symptoms negatively affected the HR-QoL in our patients, with a predominant effect on the MCS of the SF-36. The PCS of the SF-36 was mainly affected by those symptoms related to the functional impairment and inflammatory activity of the disease. The routine assessment and early treatment of depressive symptoms, targeting mental and mood manifestations, may improve the HR-QoL and thus contribute to healthier outcomes in Venezuelan RA patients.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the assistance of Sarah Toombs Smith, PhD, ELS, in article preparation. Dr. Toombs Smith received no compensation for this effort beyond her salary at the UTMB Sealy Center on Aging. Dr. Rodriguez is a Visiting Scholar at the Sealy Center on Aging and is partly supported by a grant from IIE-Scholar Rescue Fund.

Funding

Authors received no funding for this work from any public or private organization.

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Author notes

  1. Natali Serra-Bonett

    Present address: Medical Science Liaison, Lead Mexico at Abvie, Mexico City, Mexico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA

    Martín A. Rodríguez, Nardy N. Rivero-Carrera, Joanny C. Rey-Puente, Natali Serra-Bonett & Soham Al Snih

  2. Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Reumáticas, Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

    Martín A. Rodríguez

  3. Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Soham Al Snih

  4. Division of Geriatrics/Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Soham Al Snih

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  1. Martín A. Rodríguez
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Correspondence to Martín A. Rodríguez.

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Authors declare no conflict of interest and received no funding for this work from any public or private organization. Dr. Natali Serra-Bonett was working at Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Reumaticas, Hospital Universitario de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela at the time of her participation in this study. Currently she is MSL Lead Mexico at AbbVie, Santa Cruz Xochitepec, Mexico City, Mexico.

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The study was revised and approved by the Ethics Committee of our hospital and all patients signed an informed consent form. We have full control of all primary data and we agree to allow the journal to review the data supporting our study.

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Rodríguez, M.A., Rivero-Carrera, N.N., Rey-Puente, J.C. et al. Role of depressive symptoms in the health-related quality of life of Venezuelan patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Results from a tertiary care center. Qual Life Res 29, 2129–2136 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-020-02485-7

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