Patient self-administered joint tenderness counts in rheumatoid arthritis are reliable and responsive to changes in disease activity

Figueroa F.; Braun-Moscovici, Y; Khanna, D; Voon, E; Gallardo, L.; Luinstra, D; Pina, X; Henstorf, G; Laurence, S; Neiman, R; Furst, D.

Abstract

Objective. To examine whether self-assessment of tender and swollen joints by patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be used to evaluate changes in disease activity instead of joint counts by physicians. Methods. Eighty-two patients with RA taking part in controlled studies were recruited for investigation. The patient's self-assessment of joint tenderness and swelling was completed both before and 30 minutes after examination by a physician. Examinations of tender and swollen joints by a rheumatologist were performed at baseline and 3 months later. The correlations and verification of agreement of these clinical assessments were analyzed. Results. Within-patient and patient-physician correlations for joint tenderness counts were high (r = 0.96 and 0.78, respectively). Patient-physician correlation for joint swelling counts was still significant, although much lower (r = 0.34). Patients' and physicians' estimations of the change in disease activity over 3 months did not differ (p > 0.76 for all comparisons). Conclusion. Joint tenderness counts were consistent when comparing intra-patient and patient-physician assessments, while joint swelling counts were poorly correlated. Patient and physician assessments of change over 3 months were parallel and similar for joint tenderness count. Self-administered tender joint counts might be a useful tool to evaluate the response to therapy in RA.

Más información

Título según WOS: Patient self-administered joint tenderness counts in rheumatoid arthritis are reliable and responsive to changes in disease activity
Título según SCOPUS: Patient self-administered joint tenderness counts in rheumatoid arthritis are reliable and responsive to changes in disease activity
Título de la Revista: JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
Volumen: 34
Número: 1
Editorial: J RHEUMATOL PUBL CO
Fecha de publicación: 2007
Página de inicio: 54
Página final: 56
Idioma: English
Notas: ISI, SCOPUS