title: Assessing the activity of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis is not easily measured. The validity of current measures has been reviewed. Recent international efforts have resulted in consensus over a minimum (WHO/ILAR) core set of endpoints in RA trials: pain, patient and physician (assessor) global assessment, physical disability, swollen joint count, tender joint count, acute phase reactants; and for studies of one or more years' duration: radiographs of joints. The near future will hopefully see validation of new measures, also in terrains not currently covered by the core set.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boers
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: van Riel
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Felson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tugwell
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods*