title: An index of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: This paper describes the Stoke Index which has been designed to give a global measure of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. The index is based on two objective laboratory measurements, one subjective and two semi-objective clinical measurements, chosen from 13 measurements using clinical judgement. Variable selection routines in principal components analysis are used to demonstrate that the index measures clinically defined disease activity. Its sensitivity and reversibility are also considered. A comparison is carried out with another index (Mallya-Mace) and a modification is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Keele, Staffordshire, U.K.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ziade
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Dawes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein