Health-related quality of life in sarcoidosis patients and the effect of occupational exposures: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with sarcoidosis has been related to treatment, symptoms, organ involvement and disease severity, but little is known about its association with occupation. The aim was to quantify HRQL in occupationally exposed sarcoidosis patients compared to their nonexposed counterparts.

Methods: A total of 221 sarcoidosis patients (median age 49 years, interquartile range (IQR) 37-60 years) with a histologically confirmed diagnosis were recruited from university hospitals and outpatient centers in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation. General (with SF-8) and specific (with K-BILD) HRQL were compared between patients who were ever exposed to 24 occupational factors and nonexposed patients in adjusted multivariable models.

Results: Work in the office and office equipment (beta - 3.60 (95% confidence interval (CI) -6.91;-0.29)) was significantly associated with a poorer SF-8 physical component score (PCS) independent of sex, whereas exposure to irritant gases was strongly associated with a worse mental component score (MCS), adjusted for sex and smoking beta - 7.11 (95% CI -12.83;-1.39). Irritant gas (beta - 17.2 (95% CI -29.3;-5.1)) and work in the office (beta - 7.9 (95% CI -14.7;-1.0)) were associated with worse K-BILD total scores, while only the latter was associated with breathlessness and activities (BA) scores. Exposure to flour, irritant gas and office work were associated with the psychological (P) domain. Exposure to flour, irritant gas and work in the office could predict chest symptom (CS) scores.

Conclusions: In patients with sarcoidosis and occupational exposure, patients may exhibit worse HRQL, but further research is needed to ascertain the interplay of individual and occupational factors.