title: EFFECT OF THERAPY WITH ANTI-TNF α DRUGS AND DMARD ON DISEASE ACTIVITY AND HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG WOMEN WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.
abstract: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the response to 16 and 52 weeks of treatment with adalimumab and etanercept and its effect on disease activity and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients were selected from 2155 medical cards of patients of Connective Tissue Health Centre (Poznań, Poland) who were refractory to conventional treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. To assess the disease activity, Disease Activity Score (DAS28) was used and the measurement of quality of life was evaluated with the Polish version of the WHOQoL-Bref questionnaire. To assess the disability, we have used Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and to assess the patients' pain caused by RA, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used. The results of the study show a significant decrease in inflammatory activity of the disease and, consequently, an improvement in quality of life after anti-TNF α treatment. Results obtained with TNF-blockers after 52 weeks of treatment in RA objectively show the efficacy of these drugs and also the patients' perception of the effect on their quality of life. Study results also indicate changes in disability caused by RA and patients' pain due to disease between 16 and 52 weeks of treatment.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kopciuch
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paczkowska
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leszczynsk
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalak
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nowakowskai
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D000068800:Etanercept / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011044:Poland; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept