Article Text
Abstract
Background Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an auto-inflammatory disorder. Long term complications of the disease include decreased quality of life. The measurement of quality of life in the patients with chronic disease has become an important research topic during the last years.
Objectives In our study, we aimed to evaluate life quality of the FMF patients by SF–36, who are followed in Rheumatology Department of our University Medical Faculty Hospital, and examine its relationship with the disease parameters.
Methods One hundred voluntary patients (69 female, 31 male) admitted to the rheumatology clinic at Cumhuriyet University Medical School were included in the study. The control group consisted of 100 healthy individuals. All subjects in the study were asked to complete SF–36 questionnaire. Age of onset of FMF, age at diagnosis, age at the beginning of colchicine therapy, number of attacks per month, family history of FMF and dialysis were inquired of patients with FMF. The patients were categorized as compliant or non-compliant based on their colchicine use. The response to colchicine was classified as complete response, partial response or non-response depending on the time between attacks. Disease severity was determined using the FMF severity score.
Results The mean age of the patient group was 31±12 and that of the control group was 29 ±9. Sixty-nine patients (69%) were female, and 31 patients were male (31%) in both groups. No significant difference in sociodemographic variables were found between two groups (p>0.05). The mean scores of the physical function, physical role function, emotional role function, mental health, and general health parameters of the patients were statistically significantly lower than those of healthy volunteers (p<0.05). The difference in social function and physical fitness between two groups was found to be insignificant (p>0.05). Comparison of quality of life scores of each grup were presented in Table 1.
Conclusions We have shown that FMF had a negative impact on SF-36. In conclusion, FMF reduces quality of life both in physical and mental dimensions. This should be taken into account when planning treatment. To improve the health-related quality of life of patients with FMF, psychosocial approaches should accompany medical treatment.
Disclosure of Interest None Declared