title: An articular index for the assessment of osteoarthritis.
abstract: An articular index was devised for the sequential assessment of patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Forty-eight joint units, chosen to reflect the characteristic pattern of the disease, were scored for tenderness on pressure or movement on a 4-point scale. Four observers examined patients to assess inter- and intraobserver error. The index was highly reproducible both within and between observers; intraobserver error was, however, significantly smaller. In a double-blind, cross-over trial the index was sufficiently sensitive to detect a statistically significant difference between the responses of patients with OA to an anti-inflammatory agent and to a simple analgesic. It is likely to be a useful addition to current methods of measurement in osteoarthritis.
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology*; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D000082:Acetaminophen; D007660:Ketoprofen; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene