Western University, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario, Canada.
In systemic lupus erythematosus, socioeconomic status (SES) affects outcomes. SES can modify outcomes by altering timing of access to care and adherence. It is unknown whether SES affects systemic sclerosis (SSc) outcomes. Disease can affect income and cause work disability, thus education (completed long before SSc onset) may be a proxy for SES.
The Canadian Scleroderma Research Group collects annual data on patients with SSc. Baseline data were used from a prevalent cohort. Education was stratified by whether participants completed high school. Regression models assessed effects of education on organ complications and survival.
In our study, 1145 patients with SSc had 11.0 ± 9.5 years' disease duration; 86% were women, with a mean age of 55.4 ± 12.1 years. About one-quarter did not complete high school; this was more common in older patients (p