Quality of Life in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Ramathibodi Hospital

Abstract

Background: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. It is a chronic disease and exhibits symptoms in many organs and patients will be offered a variety of immunosuppressants, which may cause many side effects and worsen the quality of life.
 Objective: To study the quality of life in SLE patients receiving treatment in Ramathibodi Hospital.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study of all SLE patients were collected during February 2017 to February 2018, by using questionnaires to measure the quality of life.
 Results: Total of 510 SLE patients, 96.7% were female. The mean (SD) age was 40.9 (13.0) years, and the disease duration was 10.5 (8.2) years. Most of them got a bachelor’s degree or higher (54.1%). Universal coverage scheme was the most treatment welfare of the patients. Despite the disease limitation for pregnancy, 7.2% of the SLE patients had 3 children while only 17.0% had miscarriages while pregnant. The general quality of life (SF-36) was in a good level, and disease-specific quality of life (SLEQoL) was at a moderate level. The older patients and a longer disease duration were inversely related to quality of life including physical health, overall health.
 Conclusions: SLE patients who received the treatment at Ramathibodi Hospital had a relatively good quality of life. Factors related to quality of life were age and duration of the disease.