Richard S. Maisiak

Health outcome improvements in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus using two telephone counseling interventions

OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of two telephone intervention strategies for improving the health outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Fifty-eight SLE patients were randomly assigned to receive a 6-month telephone counseling intervention using either a treatment counseling (TC) or symptom monitoring (SM) strategy. Health outcomes were assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2). RESULTS At the 6-month followup, the mean AIMS2 Physical Function scale and AIMS2 Social Support scale scores were significantly improved (P < 0.05) for the TC group compared to the SM groups. The mean FSS score, AIMS2 Affect score, and AIMS2 Pain score were significantly improved (P < 0.05) for both groups. CONCLUSIONS Telephone interventions, especially using the TC approach, can be effective for improving the functional status of persons with SLE.