Modified disease activity scores that include twenty-eight-joint counts. Development and validation in a prospective longitudinal study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The development and validation of Modified Disease Activity Scores (DAS) that include different 28-joint counts.


METHODS
These scores were developed by canonical discriminant analyses and validated for criterion, correlational, and construct validity. The influence of disease duration on the composition of the DAS was also investigated.


RESULTS
No influence of disease duration was found. The Modified DAS that included 28-joint counts were able to discriminate between high and low disease activity (as indicated by clinical decisions of rheumatologists).


CONCLUSIONS
The Modified DAS are as valid as disease activity scores that include more comprehensive joint counts.
Prevoo
M L
ML
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van 't Hof
M A
MA
Kuper
H H
HH
van Leeuwen
M A
MA
van de Putte
L B
LB
van Riel
P L
PL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004487:Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results