OBJECTIVE: To compare the health status of groups of Primary Sjögren's and Xerostomia patients, using the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36). The SF-36 is a generic measure, divided into eight domains, used in the assessment of health-related quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The SF-36 was given to 2 groups: Group 1 comprised 43 patients diagnosed with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (1 degrees SS) and an unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UFR) of <0.1 ml/min). Group 2 (n = 40) reported Xerostomia but had an UFR >0.2 ml/min. Sub groups of patients in Groups 1 and 2 were compared with community normative data, for the SF-36. RESULTS: There were trends to suggest lower SF36 scores for 1 degrees SS patients but there were no significant differences between the mean domain scores of Groups 1 and 2. 1 degrees SS and Xerostomia patients registered lower mean scores across all 8 domains, compared with normative community data. CONCLUSION: The SF-36 was unable to detect significant differences between subjects with 1 degrees SS and Xerostomia but a larger sample size is required to confirm these findings. The results of this limited study suggest that a disease-specific measure is required to assess the impact 1 degrees SS on health-related Quality of life (QOL).
OBJECTIVE: To compare the health status of groups of Primary Sjögren's and Xerostomiapatients, using the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36). The SF-36 is a generic measure, divided into eight domains, used in the assessment of health-related quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The SF-36 was given to 2 groups: Group 1 comprised 43 patients diagnosed with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (1 degrees SS) and an unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UFR) of <0.1 ml/min). Group 2 (n = 40) reported Xerostomia but had an UFR >0.2 ml/min. Sub groups of patients in Groups 1 and 2 were compared with community normative data, for the SF-36. RESULTS: There were trends to suggest lower SF36 scores for 1 degrees SS patients but there were no significant differences between the mean domain scores of Groups 1 and 2. 1 degrees SS and Xerostomiapatients registered lower mean scores across all 8 domains, compared with normative community data. CONCLUSION: The SF-36 was unable to detect significant differences between subjects with 1 degrees SS and Xerostomia but a larger sample size is required to confirm these findings. The results of this limited study suggest that a disease-specific measure is required to assess the impact 1 degrees SS on health-related Quality of life (QOL).
Authors: Barbara Segal; Simon J Bowman; Philip C Fox; Frederick B Vivino; Nandita Murukutla; Jeff Brodscholl; Sarika Ogale; Lachy McLean Journal: Health Qual Life Outcomes Date: 2009-05-27 Impact factor: 3.186