Organ damage is a major determinant of work productivity impairment in Behçet's Syndrome: a post-hoc analysis of the BODI validation study

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence, magnitude, and potential determinants of work productivity impairment in patients with Behçet's Syndrome (BS), focusing on the role of irreversible organ damage. Methods: A post-hoc analysis of the BS overall damage index (BODI) prospective validation study was performed. Demographics and clinical features were recorded in all patients. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: General Health (WPAI: GH) questionnaire was administered to assess the work limitation and the BODI to measure organ damage. The independent effect of BS features on WPAI: GH outcomes was evaluated by regression analysis. Results: Out of 148 patients, 34.5% were unemployed, with age (OR 1.035) and BODI score (OR 1.313 for 1-unit increase) as the only factors significantly (p< 0.05) associated with the unemployment state. An overall work impairment was reported in about 64.2% of the employed patients. Indeed, 22.7% reported missing work h due to their health (absenteeism), with a mean time loss of 34.4%; whereas 60.2% declared a reduced performance at work because of their health (presenteeism), with a mean productivity impairment of 45.4%. Ocular damage was associated with absenteeism (β 0.225); female sex (β 0.260), physician global assessment of disease activity (β 0.502) and an increased BODI score (β 0.166 for 1-point increase) with presenteeism; fibromyalgia (β 0.246), physician global assessment (β 0.469), and musculoskeletal damage (β 0.325) with overall work impairment. Conclusions: Disease activity and organ damage accrual remarkably affect work productivity in BS patients. Achieving remission and preventing damage accrual are crucial and complementary objectives.