AB0053 DISEASE DAMAGE AND NEUROLOGICAL INVOLVEMENT DETERMINE QUALITY OF LIFE IN BEHÇET DISEASE PATIENTS
Authors: O. Dhrif, M. Essouri, W. Ben Elhaj, Z. Teyeb, M. Abbassi, H. Abdelhedi, N. Khammessi
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2024)

<h3>Background:</h3> Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis affecting vessels of variable caliber. It affects young individuals and evolves by iterative flare-ups. Its clinical polymorphism, evolutionary mode, and sometimes disabling sequelae explain its impact on the patient's quality of life (QOL). <h3>Objectives:</h3> Therefore, we conducted a study aiming to assess quality of life in Tunisian BD patients compared to controls and evaluate if poor QOL in BD was determined by disease damage and neurological involvement. <h3>Methods:</h3> Case-control study included patients that were at least 18 years old with BD classified according to the international criteria of BD and matched controls that have consulted our internal medicine department in a specialized neuropsychiatric center from 1998 to 2022. We did not include patients with an associated autoimmune disease, neoplasms or current infection and patients with psychiatric records. We used the Tunisian validated Arabic translation of the Short Form-36 quality of life Scale (SF-36) to evaluate QOL of cases and controls through direct investigation. <h3>Results:</h3> We included 82 patients in this study, with 41 BD patients and 41 controls. Sex ratios (Male/Female) in both groups were respectively 2.73 and 1.73 with no statistically significant difference (p =0.342). Amongst BD neurological involvement was the most frequent with 20 (49%) cases. Disease duration was on average 7,3 years. All patients were in remission phase with a mean Behçet's disease current activity form (BDCAF) of 1.7±0.9. The mean vasculitis damage index was 2.5±1.3. The following SF-36 domains: physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, vitality, mental health, social functioning, general health, health change and physical health score and mental health score were significantly lower in BD patients when compared with the control group as displayed in Table 1. Meanwhile there was no significant difference between the groups for the SF-36 domain: bodily pain. Comparison of SF-36 between Neurological Behçet disease patients (NBD) and those without neurological involvement showed lower values in all domains in NBD patients. Vitality and mental health domains as well as the mental health score were significantly lower in patients with neurological involvement (p=0.020; p=0.006; p=0.028 respectively) (Table 2). The following SF-36 domains: mental health and vitality as well as the mental health score were significantly negatively correlated to the VDI (r=-0.328, p=0.037; r=-0.348, p=0.026; r=-0.281, p=0.075). However, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, social functioning, bodily pain, general health, health change and physical health score of the SF-36 were not correlated to the VDI. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> To conclude Based on evaluation of SF-36 scores, QOL is markedly affected in BD patients compared to matched controls. The presence of neurological involvement and disease damage seem to contribute to the impairment of QOL in BD. These results highlight the importance of educational programs with patient-specific therapies. Patients with neurological involvement should have further psychoeducational support to help them face the burden of their disease. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> <b>NIL.</b> <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> We thank all the patients that dedicated their valuable time to participate in this research project and we are gratefull for Dr DORGHAM, Dr TOUATI and DR OUESLATI for their support and suggestions throughout this study. <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> <b>None declared.</b>