Quality of life in spondyloarthritis: analysis of a large Brazilian cohort

Abstract Objective To analyze quality of life and demographic and clinical variables associated to its impairment in a large Brazilian cohort of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). Methods A common protocol of investigation was applied to 1465 Brazilian patients classified as SpA according to the European Spondyloarthropaties Study Group (ESSG) criteria, attended at 29 reference centers for Rheumatology in Brazil. Clinical and demographic variables were recorded. Quality of life was analyzed through the Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) questionnaire. Results The mean ASQoL score was 7.74 (+5.39). When analyzing the specific diseases in the SpA group, the ASQoL scores did not present statistical significance. Demographic data showed worse scores of ASQoL associated with female gender ( p  = 0.014) and African-Brazilian ethnicity ( p p  = 0.032), cervical pain ( p p  = 0.001) were statistically associated with worse scores of ASQoL. Continuous use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( p p  = 0.044) were associated with higher scores of ASQoL, while the other medications did not interfere with the ASQoL scores. Conclusion In this large series of patients with SpA, female gender and African-Brazilian ethnicity, as well as predominant axial symptoms, were associated with impaired quality of life.