Reported disability in relation to observed activity limitation, grip strength and physical function in women and men with rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The self-reported Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is specifically designed to assess disability in arthritic patients. In many studies women report higher functional disability than men. The reasons for this difference are suggested to be multifactorial. We therefore evaluated functional disability assessed by HAQ in women and men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to observed disability, grip force and physical function.

Methods

Patients with RA, 51 women and 49 men, completed the HAQ on three occasions, some weeks apart. Between HAQ1 and HAQ2, all patients performed 17 of the 20 activities (7 domains) included in the HAQ under observation in a specially designed environment, the observed HAQ. During the same day, grip force, measured by GRIPPIT and

SUBMITTER: Bala SV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8091772 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature