Assessment of disease activity and health-related quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus at Kenyatta National Hospital

Objective: To determine disease activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients and correlate it with quality of life.Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.Methods: SLE patients fulfilling SLICC 2012 criteria for SLE were included in this cross-sectional study. Disease activity was measured using the clinical Systematic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI-2K). Quality of life was assessed using the self-administered LupusQoL.Results: The study group had 62 patients (60 females and 2 males) with a mean age of 34±11.8 years, and the mean duration of follow up was 36 months. The mean cSLEDAI-2K score was 7±5.2, and the median disease activity score was 7. All the domains of LupusQoL were impaired. Higher disease activity scores were associated with lower QoL scores in the domains of physical health, pain, burden to others, body image and general health. Patients with renal disease had significantly lower QoL compared to other patients, and the pain, intimate relationships and body image were most affected. Age and disease duration had a positive correlation with QoL. Disease duration (p=0.01), was associated with a better QoL in the pain, emotional health and body image domains.Conclusion: This study is showing a low HRQoL in those with active disease mainly in the young age group. A recent diagnosis of lupus and the presence of renal disease was associated with a more reduced quality of life. Key words: SLE, Disease activity, Health-Related Quality of Life, cSLEDAI-2K, LUPUSQo