Assessment of self-esteem and reintegration to normal living in Spondyloarthritis patients

Background: Spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving sacroiliac joints and spine. It mainly affects young patients typically of working age. Pain, reduced spinal mobility and deformities may lead to psychological distress. Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess self-esteem and social reintegration in spondyloarthritis patients in comparaison with healthy controls. Methods: Fifty patients diagnosed with spondyloarthritis and 50 healthy controls aged less than 50 years old, were included in our study. Clinical, biological and radiological data related to disease were recorded. All subjects completed Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI) and Rosenberg self-esteem scale (SES) questionnaires. Results: Our study population included 39 men (78%) and 11 women (22%) with a mean age of 36.8 years [17-50]. Mean disease duration was 11.3 ± 8.2. Mean disease activity scores BASDAI, ASDAS-CRP and ASDAS-ESR were respectively 4.45 ± 1.84, 3.03± 1.06 and 2.74 ± 1. For inflammatory markers, mean CRP and ESR levels were respectively 29.3 ± 41.8 mg/l and 46.5 ± 35.3. Mean BASFI and BASRI scores were respectively 5.21 ± 2.24 and 5.5 ± 2.38. Forty eight pour cent of patients had an extra-articular feature and 47% had coxitis. Regarding treatment, 47% were on TNF inhibitors. Mean SES was 30.6 [25-36]. Fifty six per cent of patients had a low self-esteem (SES<31) and 12% had high self-esteem (SES>34). Self-esteem was within the normal ranges (SES between 31 and 34) in 32% of patients. Mean reintegration to normal life (RNL) adjusted score was 72.8 ± 9.3. Significant association was found between RNL adjusted score and BASDAI (p=0.02, r=0.126) and BASFI (p=0.034, r=0.235). There was no significant association between RNL adjusted score and disease duration (p=0.747), CRP (p=0.213), ESR (p=0.818), ASDAS-ESR (0.747) and ASDAS-CRP (p=0.330) and BASRI scores (p=0.413). No association was found between SES score and disease duration (p=0.447), activity scores BASDAI (p=0.178), ASDAS-ESR (p=0.929) and ASDAS-CRP (p=0.940), ESR (p=0.417) and CRP levels (p=0.828), as well as BASFI (p=0.295) and BASRI (p=0.470). In comparaison with healthy controls, adjusted RNL score was significantly lower in patients with spondyloarthritis (72.8 versus 77.65; p=0,017). In contrast, no significant difference was found between the two groups when comparing SES score (31.4 in spondyloarthritis patients versus 30.6 in healthy controls, p=0.283). Conclusion: In our study, spondyloarthritis patients had lower RNL score in comparaison with healthy subjects. Reintegration to normal living was associated with disease activity and functional impairment. In contrast, self-esteem was similar between the two groups. Disclosure of Interests: None declared Citation: , volume 81, supplement 1, year 2022, page 1553Session: Spondyloarthritis - clinical aspects (other than treatment) (Publication Only)