Hubungan antara Karakteristik Klinis dan Kualitas Hidup Pasien Artritis Gout

Abstract

Background: The incidence and prevalence of gout tend to rise with age, particularly in individuals over 80 years old. Consequently, patients with chronic gout face risks of functional disabilities and notable declines in their quality of life. This study aims to understand the relationship between clinical features and quality of life in patients with gout. Methods: The research design is cross-sectional, involving patients at health centers in Medan City from June to September 2025. Quality of life was measured using the SF-36 instrument. The study participants were gout arthritis patients aged 18 years or older who agreed to participate. Patients with heart failure, cancer, chronic kidney disease, or psychopathology were excluded. The clinical characteristics observed included age, sex, comorbidities, duration of illness, number of tophi, number of attacks, number of affected joints, uric acid levels, type of medication, and medications used. Results: The study involved 80 participants with an average age of 55, of whom 60% were women and 40% men. The majority (95%) had hyperlipidemia, and 65% had been diagnosed within 1–5 years. Most participants (65%) had no tophi, with an average of 3.7 gout attacks involving 3.68 joints. The average SF-36 scores were 67.04 for PCS and 69.39 for MCS, both below 75, indicating some functional limitations but generally adequate health status. Age, attack frequency, and the number of joints involved were negatively correlated with quality of life. Conclusion: The quality of life for patients with gout arthritis is moderate in both physical and mental domains.