Evaluation of the preliminary definitions of minimal disease activity and remission in an early seropositive rheumatoid arthritis cohort.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate published proposed definitions of minimal disease activity (MDA) and remission in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


METHODS
The cohort comprised disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive patients with early seropositive active RA (n = 200) treated with traditional DMARDs in the prebiologic era. MDA definitions included Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) <or=2.85, or achieving 5 of 7 World Health Organization (WHO)/International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) core set measure thresholds as proposed by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials. Other MDA definitions included Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) score <or=11 and Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score <or=10. Remission definitions included American College of Rheumatology (ACR) remission, DAS28 <2.6, DAS28 <2.4, achieving all 7 WHO/ILAR core set measure thresholds, SDAI <or=3.3, and CDAI <or=2.8. Physical function was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index (DI) and radiographic progression was assessed using the Sharp score.


RESULTS
At baseline, no patients were in MDA or remission. Depending on the MDA definition, 20-32%, 27-32%, and 30-48% were in MDA at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Depending on the remission definition, 0.7-15%, 0-24%, and 0-33% were in remission at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. For example, at 6 months, lowest (highest) responses for MDA were seen with DAS28 <or=2.85 (SDAI <or=11) and for remission with ACR remission criteria (DAS28 <2.6). Patients who achieved either MDA or remission had lower HAQ DI and radiographic scores compared with patients who achieved neither.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrated that different proportions of patients were classified as MDA or remission depending on the definition used. This has implications in predefining MDA or remission for a clinical trial or to establish goals for optimum management of RA in clinical practice.
Khanna
Dinesh
D
Division of Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Cincinnati and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0563, USA. dinesh.khanna@uc.edu
Oh
MyungShin
M
Furst
Daniel E
DE
Ranganath
Veena
V
Gold
Richard H
RH
Sharp
John T
JT
Park
Grace S
GS
Keystone
Edward C
EC
Paulus
Harold E
HE
D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012074:Remission Induction; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D009626:Terminology as Topic
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor