¿Cómo son los pacientes con artritis reumatoide de reciente comienzo en España? Descripción de la cohorte PROAR

Secular changes in functional disability, pain, fatigue and mental well-being in early rheumatoid arthritis. A longitudinal meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a systematic review and longitudinal meta-analysis of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohorts with long-term data on pain, fatigue or mental well-being.

METHODS

Searches using PUBMED, EMBASE and PyscInfo were performed to identify all early RA cohorts with longitudinal measures of pain, fatigue or mental well-being, along with clinical measures. Using longitudinal meta-analyses, the progression of each outcome over the first 60-months was estimated. Cohorts were stratified based on the median recruitment year to investigate secular trends in disease progression.

RESULTS

Of 7,319 papers identified, 75 met the inclusion criteria and 46 cohorts from 41 publications provided sufficient data on 18,046 patients for meta-analysis. The Disease Activity Scores (DAS28) and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS) indicated that post-2002 cohorts had statistically significant improvements over the first 60-months compared to pre-2002 cohorts, with standardised mean differences (SMD) of 0.86 (95% Confidence Intervals 0.34 to 1.37) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.25 to 1.27) respectively at month-60. However, post-2002 cohorts indicated statistically non-significant improvements in pain, fatigue, functional disability and SF-36 Mental Component Score (MCS) compared to pre-2002 cohorts, with SMD of 0.24 (95% CI -0.25 to 0.74), 0.38 (95% CI -0.11 to 0.88), 0.34 (95% CI -0.15-0.84) and -0.08 (95% CI -0.41 to 0.58) at month-60 respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent cohorts indicate improved levels of disease activity and physical quality of life, however this has not translated into similar improvements in levels of pain, fatigue and functional disability by 60-months.

The comparative responsiveness of Hospital Universitario Princesa Index and other composite indices for assessing rheumatoid arthritis activity

Objective

To evaluate the responsiveness in terms of correlation of the Hospital Universitario La Princesa Index (HUPI) comparatively to the traditional composite indices used to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to compare the performance of HUPI-based response criteria with that of the EULAR response criteria.

Methods

Secondary data analysis from the following studies: ACT-RAY (clinical trial), PROAR (early RA cohort) and EMECAR (pre-biologic era long term RA cohort). Responsiveness was evaluated by: 1) comparing change from baseline (Δ) of HUPI with Δ in other scores by calculating correlation coefficients; 2) calculating standardised effect sizes. The accuracy of response by HUPI and by EULAR criteria was analyzed using linear regressions in which the dependent variable was change in global assessment by physician (ΔGDA-Phy).

Results

ΔHUPI correlation with change in all other indices ranged from 0.387 to 0.791); HUPI’s standardized effect size was larger than those from the other indices in each database used. In ACT-RAY, depending on visit, between 65 and 80% of patients were equally classified by HUPI and EULAR response criteria. However, HUPI criteria were slightly more stringent, with higher percentage of patients classified as non-responder, especially at early visits. HUPI response criteria showed a slightly higher accuracy than EULAR response criteria when using ΔGDA-Phy as gold standard.

Conclusion

HUPI shows good responsiveness in terms of correlation in each studied scenario (clinical trial, early RA cohort, and established RA cohort). Response criteria by HUPI seem more stringent than EULAR’s.

Characteristics of Patients With Early-Onset Arthritis in Latin America: Description of the REPANARC Cohort

BACKGROUND

While many studies have tried to show that early intervention improves the clinical outcomes of early-onset arthritis, only a few were carried out in Latin America.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to describe the Pan-American Registry of Early-Onset Arthritis (REPANARC) project and report the preliminary outcomes of a cohort of patients.

METHODS

The REPANARC cohort consisted of a sample of patients from 6 Latin American countries. Patients with arthritis of 1 or more joints of 1-year duration or less were assessed by a rheumatologist during 6 consecutive clinical visits for a follow-up period of 2 years. The registry included clinical characteristics, medical history, physical examination, disease activity, analytical chemistries, imaging, current treatment, and a set of patient-reported outcome measures evaluating disability, psychological distress, and quality of life.

RESULTS

A total of 173 patients were included with mean age of 41.9 ± 13.2 years; 83.8% were women. The predominant presentations at onset were insidious, polyarticular, additive, bilateral, and symmetrical. The initial diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis (50.6%), undifferentiated arthritis (40.5%), and other arthritis (8.9%). With Disease Activity Score in 28 Joints, 76.9% had moderate to high disease activity, and 61.9% had moderate to severe disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire). Considering undifferentiated arthritis, 60.3% persisted undifferentiated, 29.4% evolved as rheumatoid arthritis, 4.4% remained self-limited, and 5.9% to other forms. The frequencies of depression and anxiety were high as measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and approximately 20% had significant decrements in quality of life measured with the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey Version 2. Mean time from the first symptoms to the first visit to a rheumatologist was 126 days. Shorter delays were confirmed to be associated with better outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The REPANARC project is a useful tool to provide valuable information regarding patients with early-onset arthritis attending rheumatology centers in Latin-America.

[Characteristics of early arthritis units that may be associated with better referral efficiency: survey of SERAP units]

OBJECTIVE

To identify characteristics of early arthritis units, that may be associated with better referral eficiency.

METHODS

A national survey of the 36 early arthritis units (EAU) in Spanish Rheumatology Units in 2004 (SERAP project). Survey collected information about general practitioners (GP) educational program to improve knowledge and practical skills of early arthritis, networking and feed-back system and referral efficiency. EAU were classified in two groups according to 25 and 50% of inappropriate referral process, respectively.

RESULTS

Thirty four of the 36 (94%) EAU, answered the survey. GP were trained in only 1 medical meeting in the primary care clinic, with one or more rheumatologists responsible of GP education. Fourteen of the 34 EAU (42.4%) regularly interacted with GP and only 20 (39.4%) contacted the GP who were responsible for the wrong referral process. Median lag time for referral to the Rheumatology out-patient clinic, was 73 days (15-365 days). The percentage of wrongly referred patients was between 0 and 80% (38% ± 21). Only 10 EAU (27.8%) referred patients appropriately according to the most strict criteria (25% of inappropriate referral) and 27 EAU (75%), according to 50% of inappropriate referral criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Only two aspects of the EAU implementation strategy were associated with better referral efficiency: 1) interaction with the GP responsible of the inappropriate referral process and 2) a lower median lag time for referral to the Rheumatology out-patient clinic.