Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent symptomatic OA among adults and is the leading cause of disability.¹ The ultimate treatment goal in such chronic disease is to achieve a good health related quality of life (HRQoL).^2,3 Since knee OA prevalence is increasing throughout age, comorbidity become common condition.^4,5 Comorbidity is presumed as contributing factor unto health related quality of life in knee OA patient.

Objectives To evaluate the relation between comorbidity index and health related quality of life in symptomatic knee OA patient.

Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Rheumatology Policlinic Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta. HRQol was measured with a self- assessment generic instrument Medical Outcome 36- Items Short Form (SF-36) Health Status Survey (figure 1).⁶ Comorbidity index was measured by researcher with Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS).⁷ Bivariate analysis was performed by using Chi-square test and its alternative Fisher Exact Test.

Results Most subjects were woman with mean age of 62,62 years (SD8,02). The most prevalent risk factor was overwight or obesity. Mean value for body mass index in this study was 27,54 kg/m² (SD 4,44). Eighty six percent of subjects were having poor physical component summary (PCS) of HRQoL. Whereas 72,2% of subjects waere having good mental component summary (MCS) of HRQoL. Ninety eight point seven percent subjects were having ≥1 comorbidity(ies). The three top positive comorbidity system were endocrine- metabolic, vascular, and musculosceletal and integument. The median value of comorbidity index was 1,68 (0–2,33) which is resembled moderate comorbidity index. There was no relation has been found in bivariate analysis between comorbidity index and PCS (OR=1,11; CI95%=0,26–4,75), neither with MCS (OR=1,21; CI95%=0,41–3,61).

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Conclusions There is no relation between comobidity index and HRQoL, both physically and mentally component in symptomatic knee OA patients. The homogenicity of comorbidity condition and HRQoL in subjects may contributed to the result.

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6. Ware JE, Sherbourne CD. The MOS 36- items short form health survey (SF-36): Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care 1992; 30: 473–83

7. Miller MC, Towers A. A manual of guidelines for scoring the cumulative illness rating scale for geriatrics (CIRS-G). 1991. Downloaded from: www.anq.ch/.../20121200CIRS Manual

Disclosure of Interest None declared