OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the quality of life of patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the impact of the type of BDMARDs used after 6 and 12 months following therapy.

METHODS: We included 110 patients with RA admitted and followed-up at the rheumatology services of ELAYACHI Hospital. The QoL was assessed using EQ-5D-3L and EQ-VAS. Univariate analyses were applied to identify factors associated to EQ-5D scores.

RESULTS: Eighty-five percent of patients were female with a mean age of 50.53 ± 13.86 years and a mean disease duration of 10.14±7.03 years. The mean EQ-5D score was 0.32±0.30 in S1 versus 0.71± 0.33 in S2. In addition, the mean EQ-VAS score was 44.75± 16.72 in S1 versus 58.73±17.69 in S2 and the differences were statistically significant between S1 and S2 (p=0.000). The QOL of patients with RA was associated significantly with the kind of biological therapy used and to other parameters.

CONCLUSIONS: QOL of patients with RA is significantly higher after 6 and 12 months following therapy with BDMARDS and affected almost the five dimensions of the EQ-5D. Several factors were associated with EQ-5 D, EQ-VAS scores, including the type of biological medicines used, some sociodemographic and clinical parameters.