BioTrends Survey of Over 1,300 Patients with Autoimmune Disorders Indicates High Disease Impact on Quality of Life Metrics and Challenges Patients Face with Their Disease

EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a comparison of patient reported ratings on autoimmune disease impact on quality of life metrics, BioTrends Research Group found that patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and Lupus/SLE (SLE) reported significantly higher impact on “Activities of Daily Living” and “Emotional Health” compared to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). All of the patients with autoimmune disease reported higher disease impact compared to patients suffering from gout, another condition covered in the PatientTrends series.

Leading up to diagnosis, patients reported struggling with symptoms for many months before receiving a diagnosis. About one-third of AS and PsA patients had symptoms for more than one year before being diagnosed and close to half of these patients saw more than two physicians before receiving a diagnosis. On average, AS patients were symptomatic for nearly three years, often receiving another diagnosis prior to AS. By comparison, PsA and RA patients were typically diagnosed within the first year of presentation and gout patients were diagnosed almost immediately.

The degree to which loved ones are involved in the care of these patients also varies by disease as does the extent to which the patients are active versus passive seekers of information. While the treating physician plays the lead role in providing disease information for all of the conditions, other sources also influence the patients in their awareness about their disease and treatment options.

About PatientTrends^®

PatientTrends reports are based on surveys and qualitative interviews with patients diagnosed with various diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout, chronic kidney disease, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis c. These reports seek to understand the patient journey from symptoms to diagnosis to current status. The reports also explore how often and in what ways patients seek information and probe into patient’s awareness about their disease, the treatments available and desired features in new treatment options.

About BioTrends Research Group, LLC

BioTrends Research Group, LLC provides syndicated and custom market research to pharmaceutical manufacturers competing in clinically evolving, specialty pharmaceutical markets. For information on BioTrends publications and research capabilities, please contact us at [phone] or www.bio-trends.com.

About Decision Resources Group

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