title: Interpreting clinical trial results for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis: practical applications for rheumatology healthcare providers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a general overview of clinical trials and more specifically define measurements common to rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials for the purpose of providing a foundation for rheumatology healthcare providers to translate clinical trial findings into their clinical practice and enhance their patient education discussions.
  
  
  METHODS
  English-language publications cited in the MEDLINE database were used to develop the content of this review article.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of rheumatology healthcare providers has evolved to include numerous vital functions, such as expanding communication between specialists and primary care providers, patient education and counseling, assistance with coping strategies, monitoring response to therapy, and administration of therapy. Education regarding clinical trial design, rationale, and discussion of endpoints has not been strongly emphasized for rheumatology healthcare providers who are increasingly introduced to novel agents and need to assimilate findings from clinical trials into daily practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Familiarity with the basics of clinical trial design and efficacy endpoints of new rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics, translation and application of that knowledge into daily practice, and the ability to explain this information with patients will further enhance the ability of the rheumatology healthcare provider to optimize care for their patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
authors: Seattle Rheumatology Associates, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA. nicolef@seattlera.com
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Furfaro
authors: Philip J
authors: PJ
authors: Mease
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003657:Decision Making; D018450:Disease Progression; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005221:Fatigue; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000639:trends*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index