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Patient-driven outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis
1Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 8M5. gawells@ottawaheart.ca
The Journal of Rheumatology. Supplement
|June 11, 2009
Summary
Patient-reported outcomes like feeling well and less fatigue are more important in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trials than traditional joint measures. These patient-driven outcomes, including function and sleep, should be a core part of RA assessment.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Clinical Trial Design
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
Background:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trials traditionally assess disease activity using measures like American College of Rheumatology (ACR) response criteria and Disease Activity Scores.
- However, patient priorities often emphasize subjective experiences such as well-being and fatigue over objective joint assessments like tenderness and stiffness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the growing importance of patient-driven outcomes in RA clinical trials.
- To advocate for the inclusion of patient-reported outcomes as a core component of RA assessment.
Main Methods:
- Review of current practices in RA clinical trial outcome reporting.
- Analysis of the significance of patient-reported outcomes compared to traditional disease activity measures.
Main Results:
- Patient-reported outcomes, including feeling well and reduced fatigue, are increasingly recognized as crucial in RA management.
- These subjective measures provide valuable insights often not captured by traditional joint-focused assessments.
Conclusions:
- Patient-driven outcomes are essential for a comprehensive understanding of RA treatment efficacy.
- It is proposed that measures such as Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores, fatigue, sleep quality, and physical/mental function be integrated into the core outcome set for RA patients.
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