Quality of Life and Treatment Cost Among Sjögren's Disease Patients Visiting a Tertiary Eye Center: Impact of Ocular Sicca and ESSPRI.

PURPOSE: To evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in Sjögren's disease (SjD) patients, treatment cost, and their correlation with disease-related parameters. METHOD: HR-QoL questionnaires, including the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), were completed by patients diagnosed with SjD according to 2016 ACR/EULAR criteria and age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Dry eye symptomatology (Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and tear film parameters (Keratograph), ESSPRI scores, and treatment details were also documented, and the association between QoL scores and clinical parameters was tested. RESULTS: Forty patients participated (mean age, 51.6 ± 12.4 years; 95% female), with moderate ESSPRI scores for dryness (6.3), fatigue (5.6), and pain (5.4). The mean OSDI score and disease duration were 32.5 ± 17.7 and 2.12 ± 0.82 years, respectively. Compared with healthy Indians, SjD patients had significantly worse physical, mental, social, and emotional scores on the SF-36. Twenty-four individuals reduced their workload, and five discontinued their jobs. 55% (n = 22) incurred monthly expenditures of 500 to 2000 rupees for ocular drops, whereas only 35% (n = 14) spent that much on oral medications. The multivariable regression identified age (β = -0.35, p = .01) and fatigue (β = -1.93, p = .03) as significant predictors of a worse physical composite score, whereas the mental composite score was not associated with disease parameters. CONCLUSION: Patients with Sjögren's disease have poor QoL, and worse physical health is associated with increasing age and fatigue rather than ocular sicca alone. These findings underscore the importance of fatigue management and multidisciplinary support in the management of SjD.