Predictors of productivity loss in early rheumatoid arthritis: a 5 year follow up study

Abstract

Objective: To explore baseline risk factors for productivity loss and work disability over 5 years in patients with early, active RA. Patients and methods: In the FIN-RACo trial, 195 patients with recent onset RA were randomised to receive either a combination of DMARDs with prednisolone or a single DMARD for 2 years. At baseline, 162 patients were working or available for work. After 5 years' follow up, data on sick leave and retirement were obtained from social insurance registers or case records. The cumulative duration of sick leaves and RA related disability pensions was counted for each patient. To analyse predictors of productivity loss, the patients were divided into four groups according to duration of work disability per patient year. Results: Patient's and physician's global assessment of RA severity >50 and HAQ score >1.0 were risk factors for extension of productivity loss (OR (95% (CI)

Common prognostic factors of work disability among employees with a chronic somatic disease: a systematic review of cohort studies

“…Data from the same cohort studies mentioned in more than one article have only been presented once in the final results. This applies to the articles of Reisine (7,22) and Puolakka (23,24). Chung et al (25) described two cohort studies (Nashville/Jyväs-kylä) in one article, but we presented the results as two studies.…”

“…In employees with rheumatoid arthritis, various factors related to impaired body function or body structures have been found to be predictive of work disability. A moderate positive relation has been found between the presence of a rheumatoid factor (RF+) and work disability: four studies found a positive relation (35)(36)(37)(38) and four studies found no relation (24,25,(39)(40). The amount of deformed and swollen joints has been found to be a moderate positive prognostic factor for work disability: three studies found a positive relation between the amount of deformed joints and work disability (22,35,41), and four studies found no effect (7,24,26,42).…”

“…Some articles focused on return to work after a coronary artery bypass graft or a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). In the best evidence synthesis, we considered using the categories "IHD with operation" and "IHD without operation", but we found that the diagnosis of the patients included at the (35) No effect Work disability Straaton et al (37) No effect Work disability Reisine et al (7/22) (25) No effect (Nashville/Jyväskylä) b Work disability Sokka et al (40) No effect Work disability Puolakka et al (24) No effect Work disability Straaton et al (37) Negative Return to work Albers et al (38) Negative (39) No effect Work disability Work disability Borg et al (43) No effect Work disability Work disability Puolakka et al (24) No effect (25) No effect (Nashville) b Work disability Chung et al (25) Positive ( (25) No effect (Nashville/Jyväskylä) b Work disability Ever/never methotrexate Weak (+) Chung et al (25) Positive (Jyväskylä) b Work disability Chung et al (25) No effect (Nashville) b…”

“…Ever/never used prednisone Weak (+) Chung et al (25) Positive (Jyväskylä) b Work disability Work disability Chung et al (25) No effect (Nashville) (24) No effect b Work disability Sokka et al (40) No effect Work disability Chung et al (25) No effect b Work disability Straaton et al (37) No effect Return to work (38) No effect Work disability Borg et al (43) No effect Work disability Fex et al (42) No effect Work disability Sokka et al (40) No effect Work disability Holte et al (57) No effect Work disability Married (only in women)…”

“…Puolakka defined work disability in two different ways. In one article (24), work disability is defined in terms of work disability days; in another (23), it is defined in terms of becoming a disability pensioner. Other authors have defined work disability in terms of losing of a full-time job or early retirement because of a chronic Table 5.…”