Brief Papers
Use of clinical scores to guide therapeutic decisions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in daily care
O. Malysheva1, A. Bedrich2, J. Kuipers3, H. Kleine4, B. Wolff5, C.G. Baerwald6
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department for Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Rheumatology Unit, Leipzig, Germany.
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department for Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Rheumatology Unit, Leipzig, Germany.
- Rotes Kreuz Hospital Bremen, Department for Internal Rheumatology, Bremen, Germany.
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany.
- AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany.
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department for Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Rheumatology Unit, Leipzig, Germany.
CER7638
2015 Vol.33, N°2
PI 0255, PF 0258
Brief Papers
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PMID: 25896474 [PubMed]
Received: 01/06/2014
Accepted : 07/01/2015
In Press: 09/04/2015
Published: 09/04/2015
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
This study focuses on the application and impact of different clinical scores for treatment changes in daily practice in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as achieving remission is a feasible aim due to considerable improvements in therapeutic options.
METHODS:
In this prospective study, 1467 RA patients aged 15 to 88 years (72.5% female, 27.5% male) who had undergone treatment change or were treated with a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for the first time were analysed. At three consecutive visits (T-1, T0, T1), scores were used to assess disease activity, loss of function, quality of life and imaging. In addition, the impact of the scores on treatment change was addressed (numerical rating scale, 1–10).
RESULTS:
The most commonly used scores were the DAS28 (65% of all visits), the Hanover functional ability questionnaire (FFbH, 36%) and the HAQ (11%). Other scores for evaluating RA are of little relevance in daily practice. No scores were calculated in only 10% of visits. Among the commonly used scores, the DAS28 had the highest influence on therapy decisions, followed by HAQ and FFbH (mean weight 6.62, 4.99 and 4.41, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS:
In daily practice, rheumatologists very often take scores for disease activity (especially DAS28) and loss of physical function into consideration when deciding on treatment for patients with RA. However, scores for measuring structural changes or quality of life, are not yet very well established with German rheumatologists.
