Correlation between functional disability and quality of life in patients with adhesive capsulitis

OBJECTIVE To determine the correlation between functional disability and quality of life of patients with adhesive capsulitis. METHODS Two instruments (WHOQOL-BREF and DASH) were applied to evaluate the quality of life and functional capacity of patients with adhesive capsulitis. Inclusion criteria were age between 35 and 75 years old and achievement of shoulder imaging. Each domain of the WHOQOL-BREF was correlated with DASH. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used for parametric variables and Spearman's correlation coefficient was used when at least one variable had a non-normal distribution. The level of significance was p <0.05. RESULTS Forty three patients with mean age of 54.7 years old were evaluated. The mean values found in the physical, psychological, social and environmental domains of the WHOQOL-BREF and DASH were 45.3, 63.9, 68.2, 60.2 and 61.6, respectively. A moderate negative correlation was found between DASH and the physical domain of WHOQOL-BREF (r= - 0.583, p<0.001). CONCLUSION The only domain where WHOQOL-BREF correlates with DASH is the physical domain, suggesting that measures to promote the improvement of functional capacity may lead to better quality of life of patients with adhesive capsulitis.