title: Proposing a method of regional assessment and a novel outcome measure in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: We proposed a method of regional assessment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The utility of this method was demonstrated by assessing drug efficacy in patients who received infliximab (n = 31) or tocilizumab (n = 6). Joints were divided into four regions: upper/large, upper/small, lower/large, and lower/small. The total joint index was calculated as follows: the sum of tender and swollen joint counts divided by the number of evaluable joints in each region. At the baseline, the total joint index of the upper/small region was the lowest and that of the lower/large region was the highest compared with other regions. The change in the total joint index from the baseline to the 30-week point (Δ) did not differ among the four regions. There were significant close relations of Δ between the upper/small and the upper/large region and between the lower/small and the lower/large region. This method allows us to focus on a specific region and to compare and contrast among them.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatic Disease Center, Kurashiki Medical Center, Kurashiki, Japan. susumu.nisiyama@ryumachi-jp.com
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Tetsushi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aita
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kishimoto
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manki
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyawaki
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D007564:Japan; D007596:Joints / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069285:Infliximab; C502936:tocilizumab