title: DAS28: a useful instrument to monitor infliximab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts (DAS28) has been developed in a cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in which only conventional anti-rheumatic treatments were used. It has extensively been validated to monitor disease activity in daily clinical practice as well as in clinical trials. The study of Vander Cruyssen and colleagues showed that the DAS28 correlated best with the decisions of rheumatologists to increase the infliximab dose because of insufficient response. This result once more confirms the validity of the DAS28 to monitor disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to titrate treatment with biologicals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. p.vanriel@reuma.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Piet L C M
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: van Riel
authors.forename: Jaap
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fransen
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069285:Infliximab