ANALYSIS OF THE FUNCTIONAL AND LABORAL PROFILE OF CHIKUNGUNYA PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Chikungunya; Chronic pain; Work capacity; reduced activity
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) potentially affects over 1 billion people, and its chronic polyarthralgia deteriorates general functionality and work productivity. This study aimed to evaluate and correlate functionality, pain, quality of life, sleep, and occupational productivity of individuals with chronic CHIKV arthralgia. A descriptive cross-sectional study in Natal, northwest of Brazil, evaluated 61 patients with chronic CHIKV arthralgia according to The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI), Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI). Low and moderate level of functional status was present respectively in 39.4% and 55.7%. Moderate pain (5.57 ± 2.25), poor sleep quality (47.54%), and sleep disturbance (42.63%) were evidenced. Pearson correlations between absenteeism and presenteeism with HAQ (r = 0.39, p = 0.03; r = 0.43; p = 0.01 respectively), BDI interference (r = 0.41, p = 0.02; r = 0.58; p = 0.001 respectively) and SF-36 physical score (r = -0.49, p = 0.007; r = 0.58; p = 0.01 respectively) were significant. Overall, work productivity loss showed a significant correlation with HAQ (r = 0.44, p = 0.01), BDI interference (r = 0.5, p = 0.006), SF-36 physical score (r = -0.6, p = 0.001), SF-36 total score (r = -0.44, p = 0.01) and sleep quality (r = 0.27, p = 0.03). Activity impairment only correlated with BDI interference (r = 0.37, p = 0.04). These results suggest that chronic arthralgia impacts on activities of daily living, work productivity, and functional activity.