Treatment satisfaction and its determinants in Korean patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the treatment satisfaction and its determinants in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2021 and December 2021. Data on demographics, clinical features, and responses to the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM) and Euroquality of life 5 dimensions (EQ-5D) were collected. Results: In total, 215 patients were included, comprising 114 with RA and 101 with SLE. The cohort was predominantly female (82.3%; 73.7% in patients with RA and 92.1% in patients with SLE). Only 16.7% reported being ‘satisfied’ with their sumtreatment (global satisfaction score of TSQM ≥ 80), with patients with RA (18.4%) and those with SLE (14.9%). Patients with RA showed significant differences in global satisfaction and factors such as educational attainment, household income, global assessment, disease activity, and EQ-5D visual analogue scale scores. In contrast, the incidence of SLE showed no significant differences except non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs users. In multivariable analyses, household income was independently associated with global satisfaction in patients with RA, but not in those with SLE. Sensitivity analysis, excluding patients with moderate to high disease activity, showed similar results. Conclusions: Our study results suggest that despite the low disease activity, there is an unmet need for treatment satisfaction among patients with RA. To maximize treatment satisfaction in these patients, an individualized, patient-centered approach that considers various quality-of-life and socioeconomic factors beyond disease activity, is required. For lupus, additional comprehensive research on treatment satisfaction and its determinants is necessary.