LAUSR

Arthritic involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a common manifestation impacting on the quality of life. A wide range of articular involvement is recognised including from arthralgia to inflammatory joint and tendon disease.To assess the weight of patient reported ‘’arthritis activity’’ in determining Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) in an observational cohort of SSc patients.We conducted a retrospective study of 330 clinic episodes from 121 unselected patients diagnosed with SSc according to EULAR/ACR 2013 classification criteria, in annual follow-up (for a total of 165 patients/year) with Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs), Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (sHAQ) and Cochin Hand Function Score (CHFS). Hand disability index was assessed by CHFS and global disability index was assessed by HAQ and sHAQ. Patient reported arthritis activity was assessed by Visual Analogical Scale for Arthritis Activity (VAS3). Based on the median of VAS3, patients were classified in two groups and the evaluation of global and hand disability index was performed for each group. Furthermore, we assessed the correlation between the change of VAS3 and the modification of disability scores (ΔHAQ, ΔSHAQ, ΔCHFS) over 12 months of follow-up. Following analysis of distribution, Spearman or Pearson Test were used to determine correlation coefficients, as appropriate (Prism 7).The median disease duration was 5 years (IQR 3-10). The median of VAS3 was 35 (IQR 2 - 66). In patients with VAS3 <35 and VAS ≥35 the HAQ-DI medians were 0.625 (IQR 0.25 - 1.5) and 1.75 (IQR 1.125-2.25) respectively, (p<0.0001); the sHAQ medians were 0.628 (IQR 0.255 - 1.114) and 1.701 (IQR 1.234-2.059), respectively, (p<0.0001); and the CHFS medians were 4 (IQR 0 – 19) and 28 (IQR 10 – 46) respectively, (p<0.0001). A significant correlation was observed between VAS3 and HAQ (r= 0.463, p<0.0001), SHAQ (r=0.651, p<0.0001), CHFS (r=0.497, p<0.0001); between ΔVAS3 and ΔSHAQ (r=0.493, p<0.0001).This analysis of a monocentric non-selected population supports the key role of joint involvement in determining global patient reported functional and hand disability in SSc. Severity of musculoskeletal involvement should be carefully considered when interpreting PROs in patients with SSc.[1]Sandler RD, Matucci-Cerinic M, Hughes M. Musculoskeletal hand involvement in systemic sclerosis. Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism (2019)None declared