title: In-patient treatment for active rheumatoid arthritis: clinical course and predictors of improvement.
abstract: The objective was to determine the clinical course and predictors of clinical response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are hospitalized for active disease and functional deterioration. Sixty-three patients who were admitted to a rheumatology clinic for multidisciplinary treatment were prospectively evaluated at 2-weekly intervals. During the admission period, which lasted for a mean of 47 +/- 24 days, patients improved significantly according to variables of disease activity, functional status and emotional status. The change in the variables appeared to be linear with time. Twenty-seven patients (43%) fulfilled the Paulus 20% criteria for clinical response during treatment. A long disease duration, a high Larsen erosion score, a high level of disease activity at admission and the institution of a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug within 3 months before admission were associated with a clinical response. In patients hospitalized for active disease, improvement appeared to be linear with time during admission. Patients with long-standing, destructive disease and a high level of disease activity improved most during hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Vliet Vlieland
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Zwinderman
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vandenbroucke
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Breedveld
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hazes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents