Conference: PAIN IN EUROPE XII: TARGETING PAIN AND ITS COMORBIDITIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE At: Dublin, Ireland - April, 2022.

Ilka Benedet Lineburger; Claiton Viegas Brenol; Édila Pinheiro; Alice Silveira Goularte; Vania Naomi Hirakata

Background and aims: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the use telemedicine for rheumatologic patients. Patient reported outcomes (PRO) can provide prioritization criteria for the form of face-to-face care in situations of social restriction, and optimization of early care by identifying high-risk patients. Our aim was to demonstrate the prevalence of symptoms during this period for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods: Patients with RA according to 2010 ACR/EULAR and access to digital platforms were enrolled in the study, from January to august 2021. A weblink was sent to a PRO elaborated in electronic platform. The study was approved by the ethics committee of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre – Brazil and all patients agreed with a Term of Informed Consent.

Results:  A total of 129 RA patients completed the PRO, mean age was 60 years (S.D. 14) and 83% were female. The mean DAS28, SDAI and HAQ were 3.8 (S.D. 1.6), 14.2 (S.D. 11.0) and 1.2 (S.D. 0.7). Nearly 50% reported anxiety and 27% depression. Pain (VAS ≥ 5) was a common symptom for 82% of patients, followed by articular pain (68%), headache (53%), memory difficulties (50%), sleep problems (46%), fatigue (43%), muscle weakness (37%) and weight gain (22%). Only 16 patients were physically active and 104 sedentary in the last 6 months of response. Markedly, 14 patients reported a fall or fracture in the same period.

Conclusions:  Maintaining PRO is aligned with patient-centered care, allowing relevant data source and identification of high- risk patients - in our study: patients in pain, sedentary and in major risk of fracture.