Development of a disease activity score based on judgment in clinical practice by rheumatologists.
In a prospective study of up to 3 years' duration of 113 patients with early rheumatoid arthritis a disease activity score (DAS) was developed based on the clinical judgment of 6 rheumatologists. The patients were divided in groups with high and low disease activity according to explicit rules. By various statistical methods, including discriminant analysis and multiple regression analysis, a DAS could be defined. This DAS is a continuous measure consisting of the variables Ritchie articular index, number of swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and general health measured on a visual analog scale.
van der Heijde
D M
DM
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van 't Hof
M
M
van Riel
P L
PL
van de Putte
L B
LB
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007600:Judgment; D010146:Pain; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic