FRI0093 Don’t miss the depression! comorbidities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their impact on patient-reported outcomes: results of claims data linked to a questionnaire survey

Background Comorbidities are increasingly acknowledged as important clinical manifestation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives To investigate the prevalence of comorbidities in RA and their association with patient-reported outcomes. Methods Data of 96 921 persons with RA and 4 84 605 age- and sex-matched controls of a German statutory health fund were studied on the presence of selected comorbidities in 2015. Diagnoses and therapies were assigned to the provider (general practitioner, rheumatologist or another specialist). A self-reported questionnaire, comprising joint counts (TJC, SJC), functional status (FFbH), impact of the disease (RAID) and well-being (WHO-5) was sent to a random sample of 6195 persons with RA of whom 3184 responded. For respondents who confirmed their RA (n=2,535), the association between comorbidities and patient-reported outcomes were analysed by multivariable linear regression analyses. Results Compared to controls, persons with RA (mean age 63 years, 80% female) had higher prevalences of all comorbidities, the most common were depression and osteoporosis besides cardiovascular risk factors (table 1). The diagnosis of depression was provided in 50% of cases by general practitioners, in 13% by rheumatologists and in 48% by other specialists while the diagnosis of osteoporosis was made in 76% by general practitioners, in 48% by rheumatologists and in 46% by other specialists. Among the survey respondents, increasing numbers of comorbidities were associated with worse TJC, SJC, function and WHO-5 values. Depression, obesity and osteoporosis had the highest impact on functional status and TJCs. The percentage of patients in rheumatologic care decreased from 73% with 0–1 comorbidity to 62% with ≥8 comorbidities (age-adjusted). Conclusions Osteoporosis and depression are amongst the most common disorders in persons with RA. While osteoporosis is usually taken into account by the rheumatologist, more attention should be paid to depression as both disorders strongly affect patient-reported outcomes. Acknowledgements This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (01EC1405). Disclosure of Interest None declared