title: Quantitative data for care of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in usual clinical settings: a patient Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire and physician estimate of noninflammatory symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze quantitative data in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), seen in usual care, from a patient Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) with routine assessment of patient index data (RAPID3) scores and from a physician global estimate of noninflammatory symptoms; and to compare results to self-report Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) scores and 4 SLE indices: SLE Disease Activity Index-2K (SLEDAI-2K), British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG), Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM), and European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement (ECLAM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty consecutive patients with SLE were studied in usual care of one rheumatologist. All patients completed an MDHAQ/RAPID3 in this setting. Each patient also completed a SLAQ. The rheumatologist scored SLEDAI-2K, BILAG, SLAM, ECLAM, and 2 physician global estimates, one for overall status and one for noninflammatory symptoms. Patients were classified into 2 groups: "few" or "many" noninflammatory symptoms. Scores and indices were compared using correlations, cross-tabulations and t tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients included 45 women and 5 men. MDHAQ/RAPID3 and SLAQ scores were significantly correlated. RAPID3 scores were significantly higher in patients with SLE index scores above median levels, and in 34 patients scored by the rheumatologist as having "few" noninflammatory symptoms. MDHAQ/RAPID3 and SLAQ were significantly higher in 16 patients scored as having many noninflammatory symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MDHAQ/RAPID3 and SLAQ subscale scores appear to reflect disease activity in patients with SLE, but not in patients with many noninflammatory symptoms. A physician scale for noninflammatory symptoms is useful to interpret MDHAQ/RAPID3, SLAQ, and SLE index scores.
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, New York University School of Medicine and NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, New York, NY 10003, USA.
authors: Anca Dinu
authors: AD
authors: Askanase
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Castrejón
authors: Theodore
authors: T
authors: Pincus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires