Improvement and longterm maintenance of quality of life during treatment with adalimumab in severe XXXX .

@entity1 @entity26077 @entity309 @entity102
OBJECTIVE: In @entity1 with longstanding severe @entity309 ( @entity309 ) receiving chronic treatment with adalimumab, health related quality of life (HRQOL) was assessed using new instruments [Functional Assessment of @entity102 Therapy-Fatigue scale (FACIT-Fatigue) and Health Utilities Index @entity26077 (HUI3)] and a more conventional instrument [Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36)]. METHODS: Different measures for collecting @entity1 -reported outcomes were applied simultaneously during the 3-year study period. Sociodemographic and medical history data were assessed at the baseline visit. Clinical examinations (e.g., joint examination and morning stiffness), disease assessments, and HRQOL data were recorded every 8 weeks. For dichotomous and categorical variables, absolute and relative frequencies were calculated. Metric measures were described using mean and standard deviation and/or standard error of the mean. HRQOL data were analyzed using observed cases. RESULTS: All assessed measures (FACIT-Fatigue, HUI3, SF-36) showed a rapid and statistically significant improvement from baseline following initiation of adalimumab therapy. This effect was maintained over the study period for a mean of 1.6 years in all applied measures. HRQOL data from all tested instruments were significantly correlated with each other. CONCLUSION: Chronic therapy with adalimumab improved measures of fatigue and HRQOL in @entity1 with longstanding @entity309 .
