The LupusQoL is a disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measure for patients with lupus. We conducted this study to compare the efficiency of LupusQoL with the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), a generic quality of life (QoL) scale, in Russian patients with lupus. Both questionnaires were conducted at a single visit to the clinic. Disease activity was evaluated by the SLEDAI-2K, and chronic damage by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index score (SDI). Associations between the LupusQoL and SF-36 domains were examined, while also examining age, disease duration, and disease activity for each questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation coefficients, and Students t test were performed to analyze the data.

A total of 328 patients with lupus (F/M 298:30, mean age 34,4±11.5 years, mean disease duration 106,3±91,9.0 months) were included, and 65,3% of these were active and 56,5% of these had SDI≥1. The mean SLEDAI 2K score was 9,6±8,0.

QOL as assessed by SF-36 and LupusQoL was low in this group of patients with SLE. The mean scores for each of the domains of the LupusQoL and SF-36 are shown in table 1. The mean scores are <60 in 8 domains of the SF-36 but not in social functioning (62,03±27,19) and physical function (62,35±28,53).

The MCS and PCS scores were both <50. Despite the fact that the mean score in LupusQoL was always higher than in SF-36 for each of the comparable domains, 3 standardized p values were not statistically significant (mean score in 328 patient visits: physical health/physical function, 66,20±23,18/62,35±28,53, p = 0.96; emotional health/mental health, 64,65±24,75/50,51±8,40, p=0.94; and fatigue/vitality 62.70±24.73/53.04±22.59, p=0.83), 1 standardized p values was statistically significant pain/bodily pain 70.03±24.68/47.00±8.86, p=0.02. The correlation of the comparable domains of LupusQoL and SF-36 was studied. There was a strong correlation between comparable domains in LupusQoL and SF-36 in 328 patient visits (physical health and physical functioning, r=0.77; emotional health and role emotional, r=0.38; pain and bodily pain, r=-0,33; and fatigue and vitality, r=-0.70; all p values <0.0001).

For the 4 non-comparable domains of the LupusQoL, there was a correlation between 3 domain of LupusQoL and 1 of the component scores of SF-36: body image and SF-36 MCS, r=0.20; planning and SF-36 MCS, r=0.13, r=0.73; and burden to others and SF-36 MCS, r=0.19; body image and SF-36 PCS, r=0,38; planning and SF-36 PCS, r=0,66; and burden to others and SF-36 PCS, r=0,38.

The Lupus Qol scales such as: pain, planning, intimate relationships, burden to others and bodily image correlated with disease activity (by SLEDAI 2K).

Conclusions The LupusQoL-Russian is sensitive to change in SLE patients with active SLE. LupusQoL and SF-36 were equivalent in assessing the HRQOL in Russian SLE patients. Both LupusQoL and SF-36 are easily completed by patients and correlate very well with each other.

The HRQOL by LupusQoL-Russian strongly correlated with disease activity.