# Upper extremity joint tenderness as a practical indicator for assessing presenteeism in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A cross-sectional observational study

## TL;DR

This study shows that upper extremity joint tenderness in rheumatoid arthritis patients is strongly linked to reduced work performance, even when they are present at work.

## Contribution

The study identifies upper extremity joint tenderness, especially in shoulders and fingers, as a practical indicator for assessing work disability in rheumatoid arthritis.

## Key findings

- Upper extremity tender joint count (TJC) is significantly correlated with presenteeism in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
- Shoulder and finger TJCs show the strongest associations with work performance impairment.
- Changes in upper extremity TJCs correlate with changes in presenteeism over time.

## Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes chronic polyarthritis and joint dysfunction, reducing work productivity. This reduction is mainly due to presenteeism, characterized by impaired work performance despite being present at work. This study aims to investigate the impact of specific joint involvement, particularly in the upper extremities, on work disability in RA patients.

Annual surveys assessing work disability were conducted among RA outpatients enrolled in the Nagahama Riumachi Cohort at Nagahama City Hospital, using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI). A multivariate regression analysis was performed to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between self-reported presenteeism and the tender joint count (TJC) in the extremities across two WPAI surveys.

The analysis included 201 patients, 52% of whom reported presenteeism. Cross-sectional analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between three or more TJCs of the upper extremity and presenteeism, with a regression coefficient (β) = 17.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.85–25.9). Among the joints evaluated, the sum of TJCs in the shoulder area (β = 9.55, CI: 5.39–13.7) and the fingers (β = 1.60, CI: 0.35–2.85) were significantly correlated with presenteeism. Additionally, change in presenteeism was significantly correlated with change in upper extremity TJCs (β = 1.41, CI: 0.05–2.77). No significant correlation was observed between lower extremity TJCs and presenteeism in these multivariate regression analyses.

The upper extremity TJC is strongly associated with presenteeism in RA patients. Minimizing TJC in the upper extremities, particularly in the shoulders and fingers, could be important treatment goal to reduce work disability in RA patients.