A prospective study of early onset rheumatoid arthritis over fifteen years: prognostic features and outcome.
A total of 218 patients with early onset rheumatoid arthritis were entered into a prospective study over fifteen years. Of these, 151 remained in the study at three years (of whom 14 died), and a further 39 (23 deaths) defaulted after this time. The severity of disease was assessed by four different methods. Although persistently active joint disease was recorded in 26% of patients, only 13% had severe functional impairment, and only 14% developed severe erosions. An episode of RA lasting two to three years followed by complete remission with none or minimal sequelae ("non recurrent" RA) was present in 34%. Using discriminant analysis, which selected rheumatoid factor, haemoglobin level and platelet count from a number of clinical and laboratory variables measured at onset, it was possible to predict three mutually exclusive outcome categories correctly in 50-60% of patients depending on the method of assessment of outcome.
Department of Rheumatology Research, Middlesex Hospital, London, UK.
A
A
Young
C
C
Bielawska
M
M
Corbett
I
I
Roitt
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
D012217:Rheumatoid Factor