Alireza Khabbazi1, Vahideh Ebrahimzadeh Attari2, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi3, Aida Malek Mahdavi4. 1. Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 2. Maraghe University of Medical Sciences, Maraghe, Iran. 3. Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 4. Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: aidamalek@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease(BD) is a systemic vasculitis which may affect the quality of life (QoL). AIMS: This study aimed to assess the QoL in Iranian Azeri BD patients as well as evaluating the association between QoL and disease characteristics including disease activity and clinical symptoms. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 123 BD patients aged 15-65 years fulfilling International Criteria for BD and 123 healthy controls matched with regard to gender were included. Patients aged 15-18 years had the informed consent and consent of their parents for participation. Short Form-36 Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) was used to evaluate QoL. Disease activity was measured by Behcet's Disease Current Activity Form and the Iranian Behcet's Disease Dynamic Activity Measure and Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) was used for the clinical assessment of damage. RESULTS: The mean±SD age of BD patients and control group was 38.19±10.99 and 33.65±7.29 years, respectively. The Physical Health score as well as most of SF-36 domains including Role Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, and Mental Health were significantly lower in BD patients compared with the control group (P<0.05). There was significant correlation between the Physical and Mental Health scores and most of SF-36 domains with disease activity and clinical symptoms including genital ulcers, ophthalmic and central nervous system (CNS) involvement (P<0.05). Significant correlation was only observed between VDI and Bodily Pain domain (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Quality of life is impaired in BD patients, and this impairment is related with disease severity. It seems that presence of genital ulcers, eye and CNS involvement lead to the impairment of QoL in BD patients. These results highlight the importance of nursing interventions in managing clinical symptoms in these patients.
BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease(BD) is a systemic vasculitis which may affect the quality of life (QoL). AIMS: This study aimed to assess the QoL in Iranian Azeri BDpatients as well as evaluating the association between QoL and disease characteristics including disease activity and clinical symptoms. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 123 BDpatients aged 15-65 years fulfilling International Criteria for BD and 123 healthy controls matched with regard to gender were included. Patients aged 15-18 years had the informed consent and consent of their parents for participation. Short Form-36 Quality of Life Scale (SF-36) was used to evaluate QoL. Disease activity was measured by Behcet's Disease Current Activity Form and the Iranian Behcet's Disease Dynamic Activity Measure and Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI) was used for the clinical assessment of damage. RESULTS: The mean±SD age of BDpatients and control group was 38.19±10.99 and 33.65±7.29 years, respectively. The Physical Health score as well as most of SF-36 domains including Role Physical, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, and Mental Health were significantly lower in BDpatients compared with the control group (P<0.05). There was significant correlation between the Physical and Mental Health scores and most of SF-36 domains with disease activity and clinical symptoms including genital ulcers, ophthalmic and central nervous system (CNS) involvement (P<0.05). Significant correlation was only observed between VDI and Bodily Pain domain (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Quality of life is impaired in BDpatients, and this impairment is related with disease severity. It seems that presence of genital ulcers, eye and CNS involvement lead to the impairment of QoL in BDpatients. These results highlight the importance of nursing interventions in managing clinical symptoms in these patients.
Keywords:
Actividad de la enfermedad; Behçet's disease; Calidad de vida; Clinical symptoms; Disease activity; Enfermedad de Behçet; Quality of life; Síntomas clínicos