Medication adherence is influenced by resilience in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Evidence on the relationship between resilience and medication adherence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients is lacking. We aimed to examine the impact of resilience on medication adherence in SLE patients.

METHOD

In a cross-sectional analysis SLE outpatients were assessed for resilience (Connor-Davison Resilience Scale, CD-RISC), depressive symptoms (CES-D) and medication adherence (Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology [CQR]). The disease activity index (mexSLEDAI) and damage (SLICC Damage Index) were administered. Factors independently associated with adherence were identified using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the 157 patients, 152 (96.8%) were female with a median age of 45.9 (IQR: 39.0-55.5) years and disease duration of 14 (IQR: 10.0-19.0) years. Medication adherence (CQR ≥80%) and depressive symptoms were found in 74.5% and 43.9% of patients, respectively. Adherent patients had a lower CES-D score and a higher CD-RISC score. In the multivariate analysis adjusting for demographic and clinical confounders, resilience and older age protected against non-adherence (OR 0.96, [95% CI 0.94-0.99] and OR 0.96 [95% CI 0.93-0.98], respectively).

CONCLUSION

In SLE patients, resilience and older age, which possibly associated with better medication adherence, may protect against non-adherence.

Associations between resilience and sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To compare resilience in women with SLE and healthy women and determine whether sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms were associated with resilience in patients with SLE.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were 123 women with SLE according to the ACR criteria and 132 age-matched healthy women (median = 45 (IQR = 34-54) years). Scales administered were: SLEDAI-2 K for disease activity, Graffar method, SLICC damage index, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Spanish version of the Resilience Scale of Wagnild and Young. The statistical analysis was made using the Student t, Mann Whitney, Chi-square, and Spearman's Rho tests and multivariate analysis with a generalized linear model (GLM). Statistical significance was set as p < .05.

RESULTS

There were no differences in resilience scores between women with SLE and healthy women (median = 80, IQR = 75-87 vs. median = 80, IQR = 74-86.75, p = .38), although patients with SLE had higher self-efficacy scores (median = 47 IQR = 43-50 vs. median = 45, IQR = 42-48, p = .002) and depressive symptoms (median = 10, IQR = 5-18 vs. median = 8, IQR = 5-18, p = .01). The overall resilience score correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.537, p < .01). The GLM showed no association between sociodemographic factors and resilience in patients with SLE.

CONCLUSIONS

Resilience did not differ between women with SLE and healthy women. In patients with SLE, depressive symptoms may influence resilience and its domains, but sociodemographic factors do not.

PUBLIC HEALTH SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

The results suggest that resilience was similar between females with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and age-matched healthy women. Depressive symptoms correlated negatively with resilience in patients with SLE. Sociodemographic factors were not associated with resilience in patients with SLE.

Health related quality of life in Mexican women with systemic lupus erythematosus: a descriptive study using SF-36 and LupusQoL©

The LupusQoL© questionnaire is a disease-specific health related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument for adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The Short Form-36 (SF-36) is a generic instrument that captures the physical, psychological, and social impact. We conducted a descriptive study of women aged ≥ 18 years attending our Lupus Clinic. HRQOL was assessed by applying the LupusQoL© and SF-36. Lupus activity was measured using the Mexican Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (Mex-SLEDAI) and chronic damage using the Systemic Lupus Collaborative Clinics Damage Index (SDI). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient. A total of 127 patients were included with a mean age of 40.5 ± 12.6 years. The mean disease duration was 8.2 ± 5.6 years, the mean disease activity score was 2.4 ± 3.0, and the mean SDI score 0.77 ± 1.06. The mean SF-36 score was 58.1 ± 21.1 and the mean LupusQoL© score was 69 ± 22.7. The correlation between global scores of the SF-36 and LupusQoL© was rho = 0.73 ( p < 0.001). The correlation between lupus disease activity and the SF-36 and the LupusQoL© was −0.26 ( p = 0.003) and −0.25 ( p = 0.004), respectively. The correlation between the SDI and the SF-36 and the LupusQoL© was −0.28 ( p = 0.001) and −0.38 ( p < 0.0001), respectively. In conclusions: both LupusQoL© and SF-36 were useful instruments in assessing HRQOL in Mexican lupus female patients. The usefulness of the LupusQoL© should be evaluated in lupus patients with moderate to severe disease activity.