Evaluation of oral health-related quality of life in a sample of Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study

Abstract

Background: Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) has been investigated as a component of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in recent years. However, there is a lack of local data using OHRQoL questionnaires to assess life quality in individuals rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the present time. Objectives: to assess the OHRQoL of RA patients and explore any potential effects of various clinical indicators. Methods: A cross-sectional study compared 100 RA patients and 100 control individuals to assess and compare their OHRQoL. The study examined the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) as one of the oral health factors under investigation, examining the association between the disease activity score of RA (CDAI and DAS28) and the OHIP. Results: Patients with RA had a median OHIP-14 of 14 (4–24.5), while controls had a median of 6 (2–18), yielding a significant difference (p = 0.005). A significant positive yet weak correlation was observed between OHIP-14 and CDAI (r = 0.26, p = 0.009). A weak positive correlation was seen between OHIP-14 and DAS28, although the correlation did not attain statistical significance (r = 0.15, p = 0.125). Conclusions: Patients with RA reported a more unfavorable evaluation of their OHRQoL compared to those without RA.