Work participation is reduced during the development of RA, months before clinical arthritis manifests.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We investigated whether work participation is affected in patients with arthralgia during transition to RA. Arthralgia patients with symptom resolution and early RA patients at diagnosis were used as a reference.

Methods

Three groups of patients were studied: arthralgia patients converting to RA (n = 114), arthralgia patients with spontaneous symptom resolution (n = 57), and early RA patients (n = 617). Both presenteeism (i.e. working while sick, scale 0-10) and absenteeism (i.e. sick leave) were taken into account. Work ability 1 year prior to clinical arthritis was estimated (in absolute numbers). The course of work restriction over time was studied using linear mixed models (β coefficient; delta per month) within each patient group.

Results

One-year prio

SUBMITTER: Rogier C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9157058 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature