• Hong-Bin Li, Li-Jun Wu, Nan Jiang, Ping-Ting Yang, Sheng-Yun Liu, Xiao-Fei Shi, Yong-Fei Fang, Yi Zhao, Jian Xu, Zhen-Yu Jiang, Zhen-Biao Wu, Xin-Wang Duan, Qian Wang, Meng-Tao Li, Xin-Ping Tian, and Xiao-Feng Zeng.
• Department of Rheumatology, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical College, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010050, China.
• Chin. Med. J. 2020 Apr 20; 133 (8): 892-898.

BackgroundDespite the recent advances in treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are still unmet needs in disease outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the satisfaction with drug therapies for RA according to the levels of disease severity (patient-assessed) and proportions of treatment cost to household income.MethodsThis was a subgroup study of a cross-sectional study in patients with RA and their physicians. The patients were subdivided into different subgroups based on their self-assessed severity of RA and on the proportions of treatment cost to household income (<10%, 10-30%, 31-50%, and >50%). The Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication version II was used to assess patients' treatment satisfaction.ResultsWhen considering all medications, effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction scores were lower in the severe and moderate RA subgroups than those in the mild and extremely mild RA subgroups (all P < 0.001). Effectiveness, side effects, and convenience scores were higher in the <10% subgroup compared to those in the >50% subgroup (all P < 0.05). Global satisfaction score was higher in the <10% subgroup than that in the 31% to 50% subgroup (F = 13.183, P = 0.004). For biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, effectiveness and convenience scores were lower in the severe RA subgroup than those in the extremely mild RA subgroup (both P < 0.05). Convenience score was higher in the <10% subgroup compared to that in the 31% to 50% and >50% subgroups (F = 12.646, P = 0.005). Global satisfaction score was higher in the <10% subgroup than that in the 31% to 50% subgroup (F = 8.794, P = 0.032).ConclusionHigher disease severity and higher financial burden were associated with lower patient satisfaction.

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