title: Optimizing the assessment of disease activity during treatment with anti-rheumatoid drugs.
abstract: Clinical trials in RA usually involve the use of several laboratory assessments of disease activity. Their use is not universal and the relative value of many novel assessments has not been determined in relation to existing clinical and laboratory methods. This study attempts to investigate the value of established and novel assessments of disease activity during treatment with accepted DMARDs. Over a 48-week study period, changes in cytidine deaminase (CD), beta 2-microglobulin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AGP), serum antibodies to Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin, pre-albumin and caeruloplasmin were compared to a group of established clinical and laboratory assessments including plasma viscosity, CRP haemoglobin and platelet count during treatment with the established second-line drugs, D-penicillamine (n = 20), sulphasalazine (n = 17), gold (n = 12) and hydroxychloroquine (n = 18). Overall, the assessments showing the greatest degree of change were plasma viscosity, articular index, summated change score, platelet count, CD, white cell count, alpha 1-AGP, CRP and pain score. The assessments showing the greatest degree of change were not homologous between the treatment groups and no single assessment was outstanding for a particular drug treatment.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology Unit, (Rheumatism Research), Royal Bath Hospital, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Astbury
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Gallez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Bird
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D009961:Orosomucoid; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D006046:Gold; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase; D010396:Penicillamine