Treatment of Lupus: Impact on Quality of Life

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that disproportionately affects women of childbearing age during their most productive years. Current therapeutic measures have improved patient survival; however, the impact of interventions on general and specific domains of health-related quality of life requires further study. Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form 36 (SF-36), the most commonly used measure, has been included in some SLE randomized controlled trials, but the observed effect sizes were generally small and in some cases negligible. An SLE patient's quality of life is known to be significantly worse than that of someone in the general population and perhaps worse than those with most other common chronic diseases. SF-36, although useful as a general measure, may not be the most sensitive way to gauge changes perceived by patients with SLE. Ongoing trials and observational longitudinal studies using lupus-specific health-related quality-of-life measures may help better determine health-related quality-of-life responses and determine the domains most amenable to interventions.

Quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus and its measurement

“…Similarly, hydroxychloroquine limits the aggravations and increases survival rate, but it does not correlate with the increased quality of life. One of the studies proved that after a year of using belimumab positive relation with quality of life and fatigue reduction was observed [ 27 , 28 ]. Nearly half of the patients – 49.8% out of 707 patients who participated in the study [ 28 , 29 ] decided to use alternative medicine.…”

“…One of the studies proved that after a year of using belimumab positive relation with quality of life and fatigue reduction was observed [ 27 , 28 ]. Nearly half of the patients – 49.8% out of 707 patients who participated in the study [ 28 , 29 ] decided to use alternative medicine. Alternative therapy was used mainly by young, educated persons from developing countries.…”

The systemic lúpus erythematosus and women's selfimage carrier / O lúpus eritematoso sistêmico e a autoimagem da mulher portadora / El lupus eritematoso sistémico y el portadora autoimagen de las mujeres

“…Deste modo, as principais medidas de qualidade de vida relacionada com a saúde refletem a perspectiva individual no impacto da doença e/ou nos seus tratamentos em funções e domínios sociais e autoperceção do bem-estar (físico, mental, social, num determinado momento), fornecendo assim uma importante ferramenta de resposta ao tratamento na prática clínica (14) .…”

If You Dont Put it in Your Mind, then it Dont Matter: A Phenomenological Study of Coping Self-Efficacy in African American Women Diagnosed with Lupus

“…A strength of this study is its focus on an understudied population which differs from prior studies that had samples composed of predominately Caucasians or Caucasian women [7,11,23,35]. Thus, these findings deepen our understanding of an understudied population with more lupus disease activity and damage, and faster disease progression [7].…”

“…Lupus also negatively impacts health-related quality of life in mental, social, psychological, and sexual domains [11]. Unexpected flares, medical regimen side effects, access to care difficulties, and decreased social standing have been associated with feelings of depression and demoralization among lupus patients [12,13].…”