The relation between stress and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
This study investigated the relation between stress and current disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). During a routine clinic appointment, subjects were given ratings of global disease status by their physicians and completed self-report measures of major stress and minor stress. In addition, each subject's erythrocyte sedimentation rate was taken. After controlling for disease severity and major stress, minor stress accounted for a significant amount of the variance in inflammation level. These results suggest that minor stress is associated with current disease activity in RA.
Thomason
B T
BT
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70825.
Brantley
P J
PJ
Jones
G N
GN
Dyer
H R
HR
Morris
J L
JL
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*