Vol.23 No.6

Original Article

Functional disability can deteriorate despite suppression of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a large observational cohort study

Authors

Yohei Seto¹ , Eisuke Inoue¹ , Kumi Shidara¹ , Daisuke Hoshi¹ , Naoki Sugimoto¹ , Eri Sato¹ , Eiichi Tanaka¹ , Ayako Nakajima¹ , Atsuo Taniguchi¹ , Shigeki Momohara¹ , Hisashi Yamanaka¹

Received:

10 October 2012

Accepted:

10 December 2012

Published online:

16 January 2013

Full Text

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Abstract

Objective To analyze the relationship between the progression of disability and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in daily practice.
Methods Patients from an observational cohort, IORRA, who completed surveys during 2009?2011 were eligible.
Linear regression of disease activity score 28 (DAS28), Japanese version of Health Assessment Questionnaire (J-HAQ), and EQ-5D from baseline were calculated, and the angles of the regression lines were designated DAS28 slope, J-HAQ slope, and EQ-5D slope, respectively, in each patient; averages were compared between treatment groups.
Results A total of 5,038 patients [84.0 % female, mean age 59.4 (SD 13.1) years, disease duration 13.2 (9.6) years, DAS28 3.29 (1.14), and J-HAQ 0.715 (0.760)] were analyzed.
The average DAS28 slope indicated improvement in all groups, whereas J-HAQ slopes were negative in patients on methotrexate (MTX), biologics, combination biologics/disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and combination biologics/MTX at baseline, but positive in patients on prednisolone [5 mg/day [0.010 (0.153)] and not on MTX at baseline [0.007 (0.122)], representing a worsening of disability.
Conclusion There is some disparity between improvement of disease activity and progression of disability,
suggesting that quality of remission must be considered.

Key words

Rheumatoid arthritis, Disease activity, Physical function, Treatment, Cohort study