Measuring Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis' Patients with the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multidimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ) and the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Numerical Rating Scale (BRAF-NRS): A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Fatigue is a common problem in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and many factors are responsible for its etiology. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the current status of fatigue and to evaluate the factors related to fatigue by using the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multidimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ) and Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Numerical Rating Scale (BRAF-NRS) developed specifically for RA in patients with RA. 64 patients with RA were included in the study. The Disease Activity Score (DAS28-CRP) of 28 joints was used to assess disease activity, and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was used to assess functional status. In addition, BRAF-MDQ and BRAF-NRS scales were used to assess fatigue, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to screen for psychiatric symptoms. All correlations between BRAF-MDQ, BRAF-NRS scales and DAS28-CRP, BAI, BDI were statistically significant (p<0.05, each other). BRAF-MDQ, BRAF-NRS scales were found to be unrelated to age, seropositivity, and drugs used. Considering the effect of disease activity, HAQ, anxiety and depressive symptoms on the BRAF-MDQ total, it was associated only with BAI (p<0.001, 95% CI 0.593-1.768). In this study, we showed the contribution of anxiety and depressive symptoms to fatigue as well as disease activity. We consider that effective interventions focusing on these symptoms can improve fatigue and reduce the burden of chronic disease.