Objective: To determined in a prospective study the quality of life (QoL) in the systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) females. We also studied the relationship between QoL and the activity of lupus disease.
Methods: We studied 67 consecutive SLE females. To study the QoL we administered the Medical Outcomes Study Short form Scale SF-36 (MOS-SF36). This questionnaire is composted for 36 question and comprises eighth subscales of QoL. We also measured the activity with the Mexico-SLE Disease Activity Index (MEX-SLEDAI).
Results: The mean age of the 67 SLE patients at disease onset was 38.3 +/- 14 years, and mean duration of disease was 66 +/- 42 months. The values of QoL answers were lower. No relationship was found between the age of patients and QoL. The subscales with poor punctuation were the general heath and the role physical. Multiple variate analyses showed that activity was associated with vitality (r = 0.36; p = 0.003).
Conclusions: The MOS-SF36 questionnaire indicate that SLE females patients had lower results about her quality of life.