Fatigue assessment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
A. Feki, I. Sallemi, A. Abbes, Z. Gassara, H. FouratiIntroduction
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that affects joints and causes pain, swelling and stiffness. Fatigue is a major and often underestimated symptom of this disease, which can be intense, persistent and debilitating. This fatigue has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life, limiting their daily and social abilities, and can be considered one of the most serious and disabling symptoms of the disease.
Objectives
To assess fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to explore associated factors.
Methods
We conducted a descriptive and analytic study. We opted for a non-random sampling method. The population consisted of 45 patients with RA followed up at a rheumatology department. We used the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multi-Dimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ), which assesses total, physical, coping, cognitive and emotional fatigue. Data confidentiality and participant anonymity were respected.
Results
This study showed that the majority of the population was aged between 41 and 60 years, with a notable female predominance of 84.4%. The results of the assessment of fatigue according to the four dimensions (physical, coping, cognitive and emotional) showed that 53.3% of our population experienced moderate fatigue, 26.7% severe fatigue and 20% mild fatigue. Cross-tabulation revealed moderate to severe fatigue, with a significant association between the overall fatigue score and several variables: gender, level of education, socioeconomic status, and living environment, as well as DAS28 (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Chronic fatigue associated with rheumatoid arthritis significantly impairs patients’ quality of life. Often overlooked, it affects patients physically, emotionally and socially.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared