OP0258-HPR Self-Reported Disease Characteristics do not Explain Why Younger Women with SPA Are Less Physically Active than Older Women with the Disease
Authors: E. Haglund, A. Bremander, I.F. Petersson, S. Bergman
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2014)

<h3>Background</h3> Exercise is a commonly used treatment for patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) but younger women reach WHOs recommended level of physical activity (PA) to a less extent than peers in the general population (Haglund, 2012). <h3>Objectives</h3> To study if self-reported disease characteristics in patients with SpA can explain why younger women are less physically active than older women with the disease. <h3>Methods</h3> In a cross-sectional population based cohort study in southern Sweden, 1121 women (51.7% of the total SpAScania cohort) were identified by a health care register and responded to a questionnaire survey in 2009. The primary outcome was self-reported level of physical activity (PA) based on the WHOs recommendation. Self-reported pain (VAS), global health (VASglobal, BASG),health related quality of life (EQ-5D), disease activity (BASDAI), physical function (BASFI), self-efficacy pain and symptoms (ASES), anxiety (HADa), depression (HADd), education level, smoking habits and reported severity of the skin disease psoriasis (NRS) were reported. Younger (≤35 years of age, n=127) and older women (&gt;35, n=994) and the disease subgroups AS/USpA (n=441) and PsA (n=680) were compared with regard to characteristic symptoms. T-test and chi-square test was used to analyze group differences, exact p-values are reported. <h3>Results</h3> Out of the 1121 women in the cohort, 1094 answered the questions concerning PA. There were no significant differences between younger/older women with AS/USpA reaching recommended level of PA (71% vs. 77%, p=0.23). In younger women with PsA there was a trend to not reaching the recommended level of PA to the same extent (58% vs. 70%, p=0.06). When comparing younger and older women concerning characteristic variables, there were significant worse self-reported VASglobal (3.9 vs. 4.5, p=0.004), BASDAI (4.2 vs 4.8, p=0.008), BASFI (2.4 vs. 3.8, p&lt;0.001), BASG (3.6 vs. 4.4, p=0.001), ASES pain (53 vs. 49, p=0.02), ASES symptom (59 vs. 55, p=0.04) and HAD depression (3.7 vs. 4.6, p=0.04) in the older women. When stratified on the disease subgroups, VASglobal (3.8 vs. 4.3, p=0.05) and BASFI (2.6 vs. 3.6, p=0.002) were significantly worse for older women with AS/USpA (n=372) compared to the younger group (n=69). Older women with PsA (n=622) reported significantly worse VASpain (3.9 vs. 4.7, p=0.02), BASFI (2.2 vs. 3.9, p&lt;0.001), BASG (3.5 vs. 4.5, p=0.004), ASES pain (54 vs. 57, p=0.01) and symptom (61 vs. 53, p=0.01), HAD depression (3.8 vs. 4.7, p=0.04) compared to the younger group (n=58). There was an inverse relationship regarding severity of psoriasis, were younger women with PsA have a tendency to report a more severe skin disease (3.9 vs. 3.2, p=0.09). When comparing characteristics for young women reaching or not reaching healthy PA, no differences were found. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Young women with SpA do not reach recommended level of PA in the same extend as in the population. There were no explanations found when comparing common self-reported variables in younger and older women with SpA in a defined cohort. The relationship needs to be studied further also from a qualitative aspect. <h3>References</h3> Haglund, E., S. Bergman, et al. (2012). Differences in physical activity patterns in patients with spondylarthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 64(12): 1886-1894. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None declared <h3>DOI</h3> 10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.3088