The impact of physical therapy on the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This open, uncontrolled study examined the effects of physical therapy and rehabilitation on the quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a total of 109 patients (69 with RA and 40 with PsA). Patients came from Norway for a four-week rehabilitation period at the Institute of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation & Rheumatology--Igalo from June till October, 2003. This was a self-controlled, pretest/posttest study. All patients had six days of physical therapy per week, during a four-week stay, which made a total of 24 therapy days. Basic therapy included mud packs/baths, kinesitherapy, hydrokinesitherapy and electrotherapy with analgesic effects. Quality of Life measurements were conducted two times (on admission and discharge) using questionnaire EuroQoL (EQ-5D). The research also included evaluation of ACR improvement. RESULTS: Pain/disability scale and the well being scale showed that quality of life in patients with PsA was significantly lower in comparison with RA patients. However, after 4 weeks, quality of life was much better in most dimensions of the EuroQoL questionnaire. Patients showed no improvement in self-care activities (in both group.) and daily activities (in group with PsA). Significant improvement was measured also in ACR improvement criteria (around 30%). CONCLUSIONS: Physical therapy at the Igalo Institute and good climate conditions have significantly improved the Health-Related-Quality-of-Life in both groups of patients. ACR index showed great