Predictors of Quality of Life in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory illness that primarily affects peripheral joints and belongs to systemic connective tissue diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause varied and significant impacts on patients' health, including mental and physical wellbeing. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors affecting the quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient orthopedics department of Indus Hospital and Health Network. The survey questionnaire was used to collect data from participants. The study's 36-item short-form survey (SF-36) questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life (QoL) among RA patients. Linear regression was used to assess the factors associated with the mental and physical components of QoL. Results A total of 154 patients were interviewed in this study. The mean age of participants was 48.96 (±51.35). Factors that contributed to the physical component of QoL included severity of disease, income, age, comorbidity, and anxiety while factors affecting the mental component of QoL included quality of sleep, anxiety, education, comorbidity, and disease severity. Conclusion Healthcare professionals need to work closely with patients to increase their capabilities of being more independent and controlling all the factors that can affect their QoL.