ASSESSMENT OF LONELINESS IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS

Background: Rheumatic disease and psychosocial status have bi-directional impacts on each other. Loneliness, as a component of psychosocial status, may be interrelated with affect and social support and may also be influenced by the disease itself in patients with inflammatory arthritis . Objectives: The aim of this study is to document loneliness and associated factors in patients with inflammatory arthritis. Effects of demographic and disease-related factors, functional status, affect, and social support on loneliness, and loneliness on functional status will be evaluated. Methods: Consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA), ankylosing spondylitis(AS), and psoriatic arthritis(PsA), meeting ACR, ASAS, and CASPAR criteria, respectively, were included in the study. Demographic data and general clinical parameters( Table 1 ) were identified for each patient. Beck depression and Beck anxiety inventory, revised multidimentional scale of percieved social support, HAQ-DI, and UCLA loneliness scale (ULS-8), all validated in Turkish population, were used for the assessments. Nonparametric comparison (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis) and correlation(Spearman) tests were used to evaluate associations of demographic data, clinical parameters, and depression, anxiety, social support, HAQ-DI scores with ULS-8 score. Multiple regression models were generated for significant associations. Results: Demographic data, general clinical features, functional status, and ULS-8 scores of disease groups are summarized in Table 1 . Among demographic and general clinical parameters, higher number of total drugs and lower education were associated with significantly higher ULS-8 scores (data not shown). Although weak, there were significant correlations between ULS-8 and HAQ-DI, depression, anxiety, social support, and doctor global VAS scores ( Table 2 ). Stronger correlations were observed between HAQ-DI and depression, anxiety, and patient global VAS scores ( Table 2 ). Among demographic and general clinical parameters, only number of drugs was weakly associated with HAQ-DI score (rho=0.18, p=0.037). Two multiple regression models were generated for predicting HAQ-DI and ULS-8 scores. Depression, anxiety and patient global VAS scores remained significant for predicting HAQ-DI after multiple regression with covariates ULS-8, depression, anxiety, social support, patient and doctor global VAS scores, and number of drugs used (adjusted R =0.53, p<0.001). Although significant (p<0.001), only 14% of variance in ULS-8 may be jointly explainable with covariates HAQ-DI, depression, anxiety, social support, doctor global VAS scores, number of drugs used, and education status. The only independent predictor was the education status. ULS-8 score did not correlate with DAS28, CDAI, and SDAI in RA; BASDAI, BASFI, and ASDAS in AS; and number of swollen and tender joints, ESR, CRP, patient global, doctor global, pain, and fatigue VAS scores in PsA. Abstract THU0129 –Table 1 Abstract THU0129 –Table 2 Conclusion: Loneliness is associated with depression, anxiety, lack of social support, and lower education but not with disease activity in patients with inflammatory arthritis. Self -report loneliness, can be a contributing factor to the disability of the inflammatory arthritis. REFERENCE: [1] Kool MB, et al. Loneliness in patients with rheumatic diseases: the significance of invalidation and lack of social support. J Psychol2012;146:229-41 Acknowledgement: no Disclosure of Interests: Hakan Emmungil Grant/research support from: Roche, novartis, msd, Consultant for: roche, novartis, Speakers bureau: roche, novartis, msd, pfizer, celltrion, abbvie, Ufuk İlgen: None declared, Sezin Turan: None declared, Özge Kılıç: None declared DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-eular.7548Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 78, supplement 2, year 2019, page A337Session: Rheumatoid arthritis - comorbidity and clinical aspects (Scientific Abstracts)