Development of a disease activity index for the assessment of reactive arthritis (DAREA).
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to investigate and validate individual variables and to develop a composite score for disease activity measurement in patients with reactive arthritis (REA).


METHODS
In the first cross-sectional part, the clinical and laboratory evaluation of 45 patients was used to elaborate the most important individual disease activity measures. In the second prospective part, these variables as well as a composite score for disease activity measurement of REA were prospectively validated in 23 patients at two points in time.


RESULTS
The following variables emerged as the most useful for the composite measure: number of swollen and tender joints, patient's pain and global assessment, and C-reactive protein. The score was calculated by simple addition of the individual figures.


CONCLUSIONS
DAREA constitutes a reliable score which can easily be assessed on a day-to-day office work basis.
Eberl
G
G
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Vienna, Austria.
Studnicka-Benke
A
A
Hitzelhammer
H
H
Gschnait
F
F
Smolen
J S
JS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016918:Arthritis, Reactive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D000091402:Prohibitins; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; C000717331:PHB2 protein, human; D000091402:Prohibitins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein