Physicians Appear to Underestimate Fatigue Among Patients With PsA
Almost 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) reported some level of fatigue when surveyed, with 25% reporting a fatigue level of 4 or higher and 8% reporting a fatigue level of 7 or higher on a 10-point scale. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of Rheumatology.
“A lack of concordance between physicians and patients in their evaluation of the presence of fatigue was also observed, with physicians underreporting fatigue compared with patients (25% vs 78%),” researchers wrote. “It is worth noting, however, that the questions on fatigue for patients and physicians were not symmetrical, with physicians reporting fatigue (yes/no) as a concomitant condition, which may explain partly this lack of concordance.”
Data for the study stemmed from a 2018 real-world survey that collected both physician- and patient-reported data for 831 patients with PsA in the United States and Europe. The average patient age was 47.5 years, the average disease duration was 5.3 years, and 46.9% were women. Nearly half were receiving a biologic.
Some 78.3% of patients reported fatigue, according to the study. More severe fatigue was associated with a longer disease duration, more severe PsA, more pain, greater body surface area affected by psoriasis, and greater swollen and tender joint counts.
Additionally, patients with more severe fatigue reported worse physical functioning, poorer health-related quality of life, and lower work productivity, multivariate analyses showed. Anxiety and depression were also more common in patients with greater fatigue severity.
“Despite many patients receiving advanced therapy, fatigue is still highly prevalent among patients with PsA and underrecognized by physicians,” researchers wrote. “These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing fatigue in the research and management of PsA.”
Reference
Gossec L, Walsh JA, Michaud K, et al. Effect of fatigue on health-related quality of life and work productivity in psoriatic arthritis: findings from a real-world survey. J Rheumatol. 2022;49(11):1221-1228. doi:10.3899/jrheum.211288
