title: [The impact of therapy with TNF-blockers on health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A pilot study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the initial response to 16 weeks of treatment with infliximab and etanercept of disease activity and quality of life in a cohort of 37 patients with established rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were selected from the Unit of Rheumatology in Hospital Clínico San Cecilio from Granada, refractory to conventional treatment with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. To assess the disease activity, Disease activity score (DAS28) was used and the measurement of quality of life was evaluated with the Spanish version of the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the RA-specific questionnaire QoL Scale (Quality of Life in Rheumatoid Arthritis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary results show a significant decrease in inflammatory activity of the disease and consequently in HRQL scores. The comparison with the general reference population shows a deviation well below average, especially in the "physical function" dimension with a rising response pattern in all dimensions. The correlation between specific scores (QoL-RA scale) and generic ones (SF-36) for HQ-treatment also showed significance, especially with the physical aggregate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An important limitation of the present study is the number of patients and the duration of the treatment; despite this, improvements in functional parameters and quality of life are evident and remain roughly stable since the first weeks of treatment. This allow us to continue the study and increase the number of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preliminary results obtained with TNF-blockers after 16 weeks of treatment in RA objectively show the effectiveness of these drugs and also the perception by the patients of the effect on their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, España.
authors.forename: Gracia María
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Abalos Medina
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruiz Villaverde
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sánchez Cano
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ruiz Villaverde
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramírez Rodrigo
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raya Álvarez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villaverde Gutiérrez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068800:Etanercept