Employment, Work Productivity, and Biologic Treatments in Self-Reported Axial Spondyloarthritis: a Cross-Sectional Study in a Female Predominant Population from the ArthritisPower Registry

Kelly Gavigan; W Benjamin Nowell; Theresa Hunter; Jeffrey R Curtis; William N Malatestinic; Rebecca J Bolce; Jeffrey R Lisse; Jessica Walsh

doi:10.1007/s40744-022-00428-x

Employment, Work Productivity, and Biologic Treatments in Self-Reported Axial Spondyloarthritis: a Cross-Sectional Study in a Female Predominant Population from the ArthritisPower Registry

Rheumatol Ther. 2022 Apr;9(2):663-677. doi: 10.1007/s40744-022-00428-x. Epub 2022 Feb 21.

Authors

Kelly Gavigan¹, W Benjamin Nowell², Theresa Hunter³, Jeffrey R Curtis⁴, William N Malatestinic³, Rebecca J Bolce³, Jeffrey R Lisse³, Jessica Walsh⁵

Affiliations

¹ Global Healthy Living Foundation, 515 N Midland Ave, Upper Nyack, NY, 10960, USA. kgavigan@ghlf.org.
² Global Healthy Living Foundation, 515 N Midland Ave, Upper Nyack, NY, 10960, USA.
³ Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
⁴ University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
⁵ University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to characterize employment, work productivity, and biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD) treatment in a predominantly female population of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients in a real-world setting.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of axSpA participants within the ArthritisPower registry. Outcomes were assessed with surveys (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI], Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index [BASDAI], and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System instruments) and compared between subgroups (employed vs. not employed; taking vs. not taking a bDMARD).

Results: Among the 195 participants, 117 (60.0%) were employed and 78 (40.0%) were not employed entirely or partially due to axSpA. The mean age of the participants was 47.6 years and 86.7% were female. Current bDMARD use was reported by 57.4% of those surveyed (59.8% employed vs. 53.9% not employed; p = 0.408). Compared to not employed participants, employed participants had more favorable disease activity (BASDAI 6.0 vs. 7.6; p < 0.001) and overall health (self-rated health 2.5 vs. 1.8; p < 0.001). Employed participants, compared to not employed participants, were diagnosed at an earlier age (36.0 vs. 42.5 years, respectively) and experienced a shorter time between symptom onset and diagnosis (9.5 vs. 13.6 years, respectively). Employed participants reported missing on average 6.5 days of work and experienced a 52.7% impairment on work productivity due to axSpA over a 3-month period. Absenteeism and presenteeism were statistically similar between participants taking a bDMARD versus those not taking a bDMARD.

Conclusions: Although bDMARD treatment rates were similar between employed and not employed participants, disease activity and overall health were better in employed than non-employed participants. Employed participants experienced substantial work productivity impairment due to axSpA.

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Axial spondyloarthritis; Employment; Female population; Work productivity.