Patient-reported Outcomes in ANCA-associated Vasculitis: a Cross-sectional Study to Explore the Interactions Between Patients' and Physicians' Perspectives

To evaluate associations between the domains of the ANCA-associated vasculitis patient-reported outcome (AAV-PRO) instrument and clinical variables. Patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), or renal-limited vasculitis (RLV) were recruited from a tertiary care center in Mexico City. Demographic, clinical, serological, and treatment-related data were retrieved. Disease activity, damage, patient and physician global assessments (PtGA and PhGA) were evaluated. All patients completed the AAV-PRO questionnaire, male patients also completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Seventy patients (44 women and 26 men) were included, with a median age of 53.5 years (43-61), and a disease duration of 82 months (34-135). Moderate correlations were identified between the PtGA and the AAV-PRO domains: social and emotional impact, treatment side effects, organ-specific symptoms, and physical function. The PhGA correlated with the PtGA and prednisone doses. Subanalyses of the AAV-PRO domains according to sex, age, and disease duration showed significant differences in the treatment side effects domain, with higher scores in women, in patients < 50 years, and in patients with disease duration < 5 years. The domain of concerns about the future showed a higher score in patients with disease duration < 5 years. A total of 17/24 (70.8%) of men who completed the IIEF-5 questionnaire were classified as having some degree of erectile dysfunction. The domains of AAV-PRO correlated with other outcome measures, while differences were found between some of the domains according to sex, age, and disease duration.