Work disability in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem disease associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality. Little is known about work disability in SSc. We undertook this study to determine the prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of work disability in a large cohort of patients with SSc. METHODS: Cross-sectional, multicenter study of patients from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group Registry. Patients were assessed with detailed clinical histories, medical examinations, and self-administered questionnaires. The primary outcome was self-reported work disability. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between selected demographic and clinical variables and work disability. RESULTS: Of the 643 patients available for this study, 133 (21%) reported that they were work disabled. Work disability in SSc was common, even in people with short disease duration, and increased steadily with increasing disease duration: among those who were