TITLE:
Reconstructive Surgery in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
AUTHORS:
Mauro Rubén Cushpa Guamán, Mónica Alexandra Caiza Asitimbay, Cecilia Margarita Casco Manzano
KEYWORDS:
Surgery, Reconstructive, Arthritis, Rheumatoid
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,
Vol.14 No.4,
November
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: Objective: The aim of this research was to find out if reconstructive surgery is the best option to improve the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to other monotherapy or combination therapy treatments.Methods: The research uses a mixed qualitative-quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional approach. The medical records of a sample of 28 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who were treated at Rio Hospital in Riobamba-Ecuador in the period 2022-2024 were reviewed. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was used to assess quality of life, and the Diseases Activity Score (DAS) 28 was used to measure the degree of joint involvement. To establish the correlation between variables, HJ Biplot multivariate analysis was applied in RStudio. Results: A high correlation was found between quality of life and the degree of joint involvement DAS 28, patients with a degree of high activity (more unfavorable condition) have a worse quality of life due to their severe disability. Both quality of life and the degree of joint involvement were also correlated with the treatment they receive, patients with worse quality of life and a higher degree of joint involvement received combined therapy as treatment. Patients who have undergone reconstructive surgery have a better quality of life. Overweight patients tend to have greater joint involvement and poorer quality of life. Conclusions: The results suggest that reconstructive surgery plays an important role in the management of patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis, helping to restore function and improve quality of life.