Abstract
BackgroundTo further improve rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, it is necessary to understand each RA patient’s satisfaction and to identify the factors affecting their satisfaction. Despite the rise in medical costs for RA, little is known about the factors that influence patient satisfaction with the cost of treatment in RA patients.MethodsThis is a multicenter observational study of Japanese RA patients from the FRANK Registry with data analyzed from March 2017 to August 2020. We collected data on demographic characteristics, clinical data, quality of life which was evaluated using the EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ5D), and patient satisfaction. The four categories of patient satisfaction were evaluated individually (i.e., cost, treatment efficacy, activities of daily living [ADL], and global treatment satisfaction). We analyzed the factors that affected each patient’s satisfaction, such as age, sex, EQ5D, disease duration, disease activity, and treatment.ResultsThis study included 2235 RA outpatients (406 males, 1829 females). In RA patients, “very satisfied” and “satisfied” were given for nearly half of each satisfaction aspect (cost 49%; efficacy 72%; ADL 58%; global treatment 66%) at the time of the initial registration. To investigate the factors influencing each satisfaction, multivariate analysis has revealed that the use of b/tsDMARDs increased satisfaction of treatment effect (odds ratio [OR] 0.66) and ADL (OR 0.78) but decreased cost satisfaction (OR 2.21). Age (50–64 years; OR 0.91; 65–74 years, 0.55: ≥ 75 years, 0.35), female (OR 0.81), and history of musculoskeletal surgery (OR 0.60) all increased cost satisfaction. Patients with lower disease activity and higher EQ5D scores had higher levels of satisfaction in all areas.ConclusionsIn this study, patient satisfaction in terms of cost, treatment effect, ADL, and overall treatment was generally higher, but some patients were dissatisfied. The cost of satisfaction increased with age and a history of musculoskeletal surgery, while it decreased with a lower EQ5D score and the use of b/tsDMARDs.
Highlights
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints and potentially impairs the patient’s quality of life (QOL)
The cost of satisfaction increased with age and a history of musculo‐ skeletal surgery, while it decreased with a lower EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ5D) score and the use of b/tsDMARDs
Treatment satisfaction of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has reportedly been improved by the use of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), low disease activity, and better communication with their physicians, whereas satisfaction was reduced by unfavorable treatment costs [12, 13]
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive inflammatory autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints and potentially impairs the patient’s quality of life (QOL). There are several options for the combination of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs), biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), and targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) [2]. These improvements in treatment could dramatically alter the patients’ QOL and ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADL). Treatment satisfaction of patients with RA has reportedly been improved by the use of bDMARDs, low disease activity, and better communication with their physicians, whereas satisfaction was reduced by unfavorable treatment costs [12, 13]. To further improve rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, it is necessary to understand each RA patient’s satisfaction and to identify the factors affecting their satisfaction. Despite the rise in medical costs for RA, little is known about the factors that influence patient satisfaction with the cost of treatment in RA patients
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