The authors have analysed the quality of life of 228 asthmatic patients and of 81 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis with a general and a disease specific instrument.
Their results indicate that the subjects experience a lower level of quality of life. Despite the availability the valid clinical tests they can not predict how the patients feel, what is their health status like.
In every day clinical practice it is necessary to quantify the patients quality of life especially in chronically ill patients. To do so it is important to use reliable instruments which are easy to use. They have found strong correlation between the Euro-QoL and the disease specific instruments both in asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, so they could conclude that the Euro-QoL questionnaire is an easy and reliable instrument in daily practice to assess the quality of life of asthmatics and patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.