ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS

M. Ghali, D. Khalifa, M. Cheour, R. Fakhfakh, N. El Amri, K. Baccouch, E. BouajinaFarhat Hached Hospital, Rheumatology, Sousse, Tunisia  Background Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes physical and psychological disability. Considering the young age of patients and the potential long-lasting disability, the consequences of JIA on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) may be significant. Objectives This study aimed to measure HRQoL and identify associated factors. Methods This is a cross-sectional monocentric study including children with JIA diagnosed according to the International League of Associations of Rheumatology (ILAR) classification criteria. To evaluate disease activity we used the Disease activity score (DAS-28) for oligoarticular and polyarticular forms, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) score for axial forms. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (C-HAQ) was used to assess functional disability. The HRQOL was evaluated by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL4) which is a questionnaire composed of 23 items. The higher scores indicate a better quality of life. Results Thirty-six patients were enrolled. The average age was 13.5 ± 5.9 with a female percentage of 55.6 %. The polyarticular form was the most frequent (52.8%) meanly seronegative, followed by the Oligoarticular form (13.9%), then the enthesitis-related form (12.4%). The mean disease duration was 5.5±4.7 years. The median of the C-HAQ was 1 (IQR=0- 2). The median of PedsQL4 was 65.8 (IQR= 43.2-90.4). The physical functioning subscale had the lowest score, with a median of 60.1 (IQR= 30.4-90.7), followed by the school functioning with a median of 63.2 (IQR=41.7-90.1), then the social functioning with a median of 69.2 (IQR=45.7-91), then the emotional functioning with a median of 70.8 (IQR=47.7-92). The impairment of HRQoL was significantly associated with higher disease activity (p=0.002), the presence of joint deformities (p=0.02), higher C-HAQ score (p=0.001), and hip involvement (p=0.003). The PedsQL4 global score and its domains had no significant correlations with age, forms of JIA, or biological abnormalities. Conclusion The HRQoL was impaired in our population of JIA. Physical health was the most affected. Early and effective management of disease activity could improve HRQoL in children with JIA. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests None Declared. Keywords: Inflammatory arthritides, Patient reported outcomes, Quality of life DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2023-eular.6149Citation: , volume 82, supplement 1, year 2023, page 1947Session: Paediatric rheumatology (Publication only)