Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2022 Aug 19. doi: 10.2174/1573397118666220819154605. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Negative effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are multi-dimensional. Foot deformities lead to disability, pain, impaired quality of life.
OBJECTIVE: Identifying the difficulties in the functioning of rheumatoid foot and assessing the quality of life in this aspect.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The material included 50 patients of Rheumatology Policlinic of the Central Clinical Hospital of Interior Affairs in Warsaw, and a matched control group of 50 individuals without RA. The degree of foot joints damage was assessed using the Manchester scale, lower limb movement and quality of life using the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Score and HAQ.
RESULTS: The duration of symptoms was 16.0±8.9 years. High activity of RA measured by the DAS was observed in 20% of patients, moderate in 26%, low in 54%. The most common foot deformities were: hammer toes (82%), longitudinal flat feet (74%), hyperkeratosis (56%). The least frequent were: stiff toe (38%), overlapping fingers (28%). In RA group the outcomes of FAOS questionnaire were statistically significantly worse than in the control group in all categories (p<0.001). The worst-rated domain was the sport and recreation subscale (median 55.0), the best daily activity (median 86.8). The strongest relationship was demonstrated between the FAOS and HAQ indices. Spearman’s HAQ correlation coefficient with the ADL subscale was r=-0.85, p<0.001, and with the QOL, sport/recreation and pain subscales moderate (r=-0.72; r= 0.71, p <0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Lower limb movement function, the quality of life are worse in RA patients, pain accompanies climbing, descending stairs; running and jumping require effort.
PMID:35986529 | DOI:10.2174/1573397118666220819154605
