The association between IL17, fatigue and quality of life in psoriatic arthritis patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory condition. It impacts patients both physically and psychologically. Fatigue may be an early symptom of PsA, which impairs quality of life.

Objectives: To assess serum IL-17, fatigue, quality of life and function impairment in PsA patients and to correlate them with clinical disease activity.

Methods: 80 consecutive PsA patients were included. Fatigue assessed by Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue. Quality of life assessed by Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life. Functional capacity assessed by health assessment questionnaire. Disease activity assessed by Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis. Serum IL-17 measured by ELISA.

Results: There was significant difference in FACIT-F, PsAQOL, and HAQ (p<0.001) in different disease activity subgroups. There was statistically significant correlation of disease duration with disease activity, fatigue, reduced function capacity, and quality of life impairment (p≤0.05), while no correlation with the patients' age. There was statistically significant correlation between FACIT-F, PsAQOL, HAQ, and DAPSA scores (p<0.001). Serum IL-17 was significantly correlated with clinical parameters of disease activity, fatigue, function, and quality of life impairment (p≤0.05).

Conclusion: Fatigue is a common clinical symptom in psoriatic arthritis patients. It is significantly associated with IL17, quality of life, functional impairment and disease activity.

KEYWORDS:

• Psoriatic arthritis
• fatigue
• quality of life
• disease activity
• IL-17

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

RE had performed the conception and MA made design, HE had analyzed and interpreted the data; SE performed the draft of paper and revised it for intellectual content; and MF performed the final approval of the version to be published; and all authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the local Ethics Committee of Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University. Approval Code 33,845. The written informed consent from all the patients was obtained and the trial was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki principles.

Article highlights

• Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an arthritis that occurs in association with psoriasis and is seronegative for rheumatoid factor.

• Fatigue is a common complaint among patients with rheumatic diseases such as psoriatic arthritis.

• Serum level IL17 significantly increased with fatigue in psoriatic arthritis patient.

• Higher values of FACIT-F questionnaire associated with lower levels of fatigue and improved quality of life.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies.