title: Has the severity of rheumatoid arthritis at presentation diminished over time?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the pattern of disease severity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at presentation to the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) over 20 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  NOAR is a primary-care-based cohort of patients with recent-onset inflammatory polyarthritis. At baseline, subjects are assessed and examined by a research nurse. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is administered and the DAS28 (28-joint Disease Activity Score) is calculated. Information is collected on disease-modifying antirheumatic drug exposure. In this study, patients (symptom duration of < 2 years at baseline) were grouped into 4 cohorts (Cohort 1: 1990-1994; Cohort 2: 1995-1999; Cohort 3: 2000-2004; Cohort 4: 2005-2008). The American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) 2010 criteria for RA were applied retrospectively at baseline. Regression analyses were used to examine whether calendar year of presentation to NOAR was associated with baseline HAQ and DAS28 scores. Potential confounders included age at symptom onset, sex, rheumatoid factor, and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody positivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1724 patients met the ACR/EULAR 2010 RA criteria at baseline. Unadjusted mean DAS28 scores decreased over time. Calendar year of presentation to NOAR was significantly associated with lower DAS28 scores over time [Y = 4.51 + (-0.56 × year) + (0.44 × year(2))]. Although unadjusted median HAQ scores increased over time, calendar year of presentation to NOAR was not significantly associated with HAQ scores [Y = (1.1) + (0.023 × year) + (0.05 × year(2))]. Similar results were observed in each subpopulation of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While baseline disease activity has lessened slightly over time, there has been no improvement in baseline levels of functional disability.
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Janet G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Diffin
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lunt
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Tarnya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Jacqueline R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Chipping
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Deborah P M
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Symmons
authors.affiliation: From the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich; Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR), School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia, Norwich; UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership, Manchester, UK.J.G. Diffin, PhD, Research Associate, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, and The School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Social Work, University of Manchester; M. Lunt, PhD, Reader in Medical Statistics, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester; T. Marshall, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist, Department of Rheumatology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital; J.R. Chipping, NOAR Deputy Clinical Manager, School of Medicine, Health Policy, and Practice, University of East Anglia; D.P.M. Symmons, MD, FRCP, FFPH, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, and NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Manchester Partnership; S.M.M. Verstappen, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester. Suzanne.Verstappen@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Suzanne M M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Verstappen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: CHANGES OVER TIME; DISEASE ACTIVITY; DISEASE SEVERITY; FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY; INCEPTION COHORT; RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS