Background: Because most patients with SLE are in their productive-age years, the ability to maintain a gainful employment is fundamental for both, the patient and society at large. It is thus quite important to determine the work and non-work factors that are associated with work productivity impairment in these patients.

Objectives: To determine the factors associated with absenteeism (percentage of the time missed from scheduled work-time over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE), presenteeism (percentage of time from scheduled work-time where productivity was impaired while patient was at work, over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE) and overall work impairment (combination of absenteeism and presenteeism) in patients with SLE.

Methods: A total of 133 consecutive (1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria) working patients with SLE were assessed between October 2017 and December 2018, using a standardized data collection form. Sociodemographic, disease and work-related variables were collected. Disease activity was ascertained with the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI); disease damage with the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/ACR Damage Index (SDI); health-related quality of life was assessed with the LupusQoL and fatigue with the FACIT-Fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue). Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) was assessed with the respective questionnaire; absenteeism and presenteeism due to overall health and symptoms during the past 7 days were scored. Linear regression models were performed to determine the factors associated with absenteeism, presenteeism and overall work impairment. Potential factors included were age at diagnosis, gender, socioeconomic status, educational level, SLEDAI, SDI, FACIT- Fatigue and the components of the LupusQoL.

Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 32.2 years (11.8); 121 (91.7%) were female. Nearly all patients were Mestizo. Mean years of education was 14.1 (2.6). The mean disease duration was 11.9 (7.5) years. Mean SLEDAI was 2.9 (4.0), and mean SDI was 1 (1.4). The mean percent of time for absenteeism was 5.0 (12.9), it was 28.5 (26.4) for presenteeism, and it was 31.3 (27.2) for overall work impairment. In the multiple regression analysis, factors associated with absenteeism were disease duration (B=-0.34; SE=0.12; p=0.007); pain (B=-0.14; SE=0.06; p=0.046); intimate relationship (B=-0.07; SE=0.03; p=0.046) and emotional health (B=0.16; SE=0.06; p=0.006), with presenteeism were physical health (B=-0.43; SE=0.14; p=0.002) and FACIT (B=-0.87; SE=0.30; p=0.005) and with overall work impairment were pain (B=-0.40; SE=0.11; p=0.001) and FACIT-Fatigue (B=-0.74; SE=0.28; p=0.010).

Conclusion: A poor HRQoL and higher levels of fatigue were associated with a higher percentage of absenteeism, presenteeism and overall work impairment in SLE patients. Addressing the factors related to HRQoL and Fatigue may have significant impact on work performance among SLE patients.

Disclosure of Interests: None declared