Cross-sectional assessment and subgroup comparison of functional disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a Swedish health-care district

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was undertaken on 222 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within a Swedish health-care district. An exploratory analysis of functional status, according to a Swedish version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), was carried out in order to explore the extent and pattern of functional disability in an unselected group of individuals with RA. The mean score of functional disability according to HAQ increased with more clinical manifest disease. There were no significant differences between the mean score in men and women. Most functional disability was related to hand-grip function and the ability to take care of personal hygiene. Increased functional disability was significantly associated with increasing age and disease duration. There was no significant relation between functional status and housing condition and educational level. A strong correlation was found between pain and functional disability. Multiple regression analysis was performed and predictive functional scores were tabulated based upon sex, age at onset and duration of RA disease.

Key Words:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• functional assessment
• Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

P. Bendtsen

It is with great sadness that we have to inform the readership of the Journal that shortly after completing the final editorial work on this Special Issue, Professor Kalman Jacob Mann was seriously injured in a car accident and subsequently died.

Professor Mann was responsible for establishing the two Hadassah Hospitals and Community Health Centres in Jerusalem and for the past 20 years headed the Presidium of Yad Sarah, Israel's largest community based, volunteer operated organization which provides a spectrum of free or nominal cost home care services nation-wide.

We offer our condolences to his family and friends, and trust that this Special Issue stands as a testament to his work in the field.