Researchers from Jyvaskyla Central Hospital provide details of new studies and findings in the area of arthritis
2007 NOV 19 -- Fresh data on arthritis are presented in the report 'Disease activity score 28 as an instrument to measure disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.' In this recently published article, scientists in Jyvaskyla, Finland conducted a study "To examine the influence of components of the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) [tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), patient's general health (GH), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)] on the total DAS28 score, and overlapping of the 4 individual components in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with low, moderate, or high disease activity The effect of each component was studied in the FIN-RACo trial patients at 6 months and in a 'theoretical model,' where each component of the DAS28 ranged as follows: TJC and SJC from 0 to 28, GH from 0 to 100, and ESR from 1 to 100, while the other 3 components were 0 (ESR1). Overlapping of the components was studied in the FIN-RACo trial patients at 6 months with low (DAS28 <or=3.2), moderate (DAS28 >3.2 and <or=5.1), and high (DAS28 >5.1) disease activity." "The higher limit for overlapping was defined as the highest SJC in the low disease activity group, and the lower limit as the lowest SJC in the high disease activity group; the percentage of patients who fall between these limits represent overlapping in SJC. Overlapping was calculated similarly concerning TJC, ESR, and GH ESR had the greatest effect on DAS28, followed by TJC, GH, and SJC, while in the 'theoretical model' TJC had the greatest effect on the DAS28, followed by ESR, SJC, and GH. At 6 months, overlapping was present in 54%, 45%, 49%, and 31% of patients in SJC, TJC, GH, and ESR, respectively In real-life patients, ESR had the greatest effect of the 4 components of DAS28 on the total DAS28 score," wrote H. M-kinen and colleagues, Jyvaskyla Central Hospital. The researchers concluded: "The values of the individual components of DAS28 overlap considerably among the 3 disease activity groups." M-kinen and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Rheumatology (Disease activity score 28 as an instrument to measure disease activity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Rheumatology, 2007;34(10):1987-91). For more information, contact H. M-kinen, Jyvaskyla Central Hospital, Jyvaskyla, Finland. Publisher contact information for the Journal of Rheumatology is: J Rheumatol Publ Co., 920 Yonge St., Suite 115, Toronto, Ontario M4W 3C7, Canada. Keywords: Finland, Jyvaskyla, Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatology. This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.
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