COMPONENTS OF HEALTH - AN ANALYSIS IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS USING QUALITY-OF-LIFE QUESTIONNAIRES AND CLINICAL AND LABORATORY VARIABLES

Objective-To gain insight into the overlap between additional informat ion supplied by recently developed health status instruments for rheum atoid arthritis (RA) and traditional clinical and laboratory tests. Me thods-A cross sectional study of 282 outpatients with RA was made. Fro m each patient, variables of clinical and laboratory measurements were obtained and the modified health assessment questionnaire (MHAQ) and a Dutch quality of life questionnaire, the IRGL, were completed. These variables were analysed for their interrelationship. Results-Clinical and laboratory variables correlated significantly with the scales of the physical dimension and the disease impact scale of the IRGL. Their significant correlations with the IRGL psychological scales were weak . There were no significant correlations between any of the traditiona l variables and the IRGL social scales. Factor analysis yielded five f actors: functionality, pain, depressive mood, social support, and labo ratory. The laboratory factor is a measure of the disease process. The other four factors provide a health model. Conclusion-The results sug gest that the IRGL questionnaire that was studied covers a complete he alth model that incorporates aspects of health that are not measured b y clinical and laboratory tests. A simple questionnaire for the psycho logical and social dimension of health status, however, would probably be more cost effective and easier to use in clinical practice.