Self-esteem and aesthetic plastic surgeries in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic diseases: results from a cross-sectional web survey.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of immune-mediated rheumatic diseases (IMRD) patients with self-esteem and the desire to undergo aesthetic plastic surgeries (APS).

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional web-survey conducted from March to May/2022. The associations among sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, APS (previous, precluded and/or desired) and self-esteem (evaluated through the Rosenberg Self - Esteem Scale - RSE) were investigated.

RESULTS

This study included 1665 IMRD patients, 96 % women, with a mean age of 40.4 (SD10.76) years old. The most frequent IMRD diagnosis were systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 524, 32 %) and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 390, 23 %). Low self-esteem (RSE ≤15) occurred in 37 %. Most individuals (65 %) reported the desire to undergo an APS. The characteristics independently associated with worse self-esteem included a poorer patients' global assessment of IMRD activity (b = -0.38; CI: -0.47, -0.29; p < 0.001), depression (b = -2.41; CI: -3.19, -1.62; p < 0.001), and previously precluded aesthetic plastic surgery (b = -0.85; CI: -1.36, -0.33; p = 0.01). Female sex (OR: 4.23; CI: 0.98-0.99; p = 0.04), living in Brazil (OR: 2.63; CI: 1.58-4.39; p < 0.001), depression (OR: 1.55; CI: 1.23-1.96; p < 0.001) low self-esteem (OR: 1.57; CI: 1.24-1.99; p < 0.001) and previous APS (OR: 1.72; CI: 1.26-2.35; p = 0.001) associated with increased desire for APS.

CONCLUSIONS

Low self-esteem is frequent among IMRD patients. Treating psychiatric comorbidities and improving coping with the disease may allow to improve self-esteem. In view of the growing popularity of APS among IMRD patients, rheumatologists and plastic surgeons should be prepared for the appropriate selection of patients for undergoing APS.