The Impact of Spondyloarthritis on Health-Related Quality of Life and Healthcare Resource Utilization in Saudi Arabia: A Narrative Review and Directions for Future Research

Hanan Al Rayes; Hany Salah; Tharwat Hamad; Mohab Soliman; Mohamed Bedaiwi

doi:10.2147/OARRR.S414530

The Impact of Spondyloarthritis on Health-Related Quality of Life and Healthcare Resource Utilization in Saudi Arabia: A Narrative Review and Directions for Future Research

Open Access Rheumatol. 2023 Sep 8:15:161-171. doi: 10.2147/OARRR.S414530. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Hanan Al Rayes¹, Hany Salah², Tharwat Hamad³, Mohab Soliman⁴, Mohamed Bedaiwi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
² Therapeutic Area Lead Rheumatology, Intercontinental, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
³ Medical Manager, Immunology, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Medical Advisor, Rheumatology, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Division of Rheumatology, College of Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Spondylarthritis (SpA) is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide range of rheumatological disorders. Several studies demonstrated that SpA is associated with increased healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and a lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This review aimed to summarize the current literature regarding the multidimensional impact of SpA on HRQoL and HCRU in Saudi Arabia and explore the correlation of the extent of severity of SpA with HRQoL and HCRU. Although the prevalence of SpA varies across different populations and is correlated with HLA-B27 prevalence, the magnitude of SpA in the Saudi population has not been extensively evaluated. Few studies have investigated the impact of SpA on HRQoL and HCRU in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. There is a need to study the cost-effectiveness of various SpA treatment strategies, including biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), to prioritize healthcare spending in the Saudi healthcare system. Data on SpA in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region are mainly based on expert views, with few population-based studies compared to other regions. Therefore, there is an imperative need to develop high-quality, national-level epidemiological studies that assess the following: (1) more accurate estimates of the current prevalence of SpA in Saudi Arabia, including the prevalence of axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis; (2) the phenotypes/clinical characteristics of SpA, including disease severity and extra-articular involvement; (3) the impact of SpA on the HRQoL of the patients and the factors that can predict the extent of impaired HRQoL in such population, which can represent the first step in developing psychological interventions that should be personalized to this patient population; (4) the impact of implementing formal assessment of disease activity on the management of the patients and, subsequently, their HRQoL; and (5) the HCRU and costs for patients with SpA, and how treatment patterns can affect this cost.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; health-related quality of life; healthcare resource utilization; psoriatic arthritis; spondylarthritis.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH, Saudi Arabia sponsored the study; contributed to the design; participated in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in writing, reviewing, and approval of the final version. No honoraria or payments were made for authorship.