OBJECTIVES : Limited data exist of work productivity loss in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Psoreatic Arthritis (PsA) and Spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The objective of this research was to assess productivity loss and absenteeism in patients with RA, PsA and axSpA.

METHODS : The study was designed as a cross-sectional study aimed to collect patient-reported outcomes from patients with RA, PsA and axSpA in Denmark via a nurse administered questionnaires and patient journals. Patients ≥18 years with RA, PsA or axSpA were consecutively recruited for the study over a 6-month period via routine visits to outpatient rheumatology clinics. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SAS.

RESULTS : Of 488 respondents, 62% were women and mean age was 53.5 years (RA:57.4; PsA:52.6; axSpA:43.6). Average time since diagnosis was 11-15 years, however, for PsA and axSpA most patients answered 6-10 and 0-5 years, respectively. 280 (57%) answered that they had a job and completed the WPAI questionnaire (RA: 149 (51%); PsA: 48 (56%); axSpA: 83 (75%)). Average work hours was 31.9 in the last week (RA:31.2; PsA:33; axSpA:32.4). Average missed work hours were 4.3 in the last 7 days ((RA:4.0; PsA:4.2; axSpA:4.8), of which 32% was missed due to their inflammatory arthritis (RA:30%; PsA:38%; axSpA:32%). Mean absenteeism was highest for patients with PsA (mean=6.8; SD=17.7) followed by patients with axSpA (mean=5.4; SD=15.1) and with RA (mean=3.4; SD=12.2). Mean productivity loss was 20.5 (SD=23.8) for patients with RA, 27.6 (SD=25.8) for PsA and 26.3 (SD=25.8) for axSpA.

CONCLUSIONS : We found that patients with PsA or axSpA miss more hours of work compared with patients with RA and when they are at work they have a higher absenteeism/lower productivity. This even though that both the group of patients with PsA and the axSpA were younger and had lived less time with their diagnosed disease compared with the group with RA.