[Comparison of four assessment criteria for disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis]

To compare of the efficacy of four assessment criteria for evaluating disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

Clinical data were collected from 172 patients ofrheumatoid arthritis. Disease activity was evaluated by four assessment criteria, which are disease activity score 28-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), disease activity score 28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR), simplified disease activity index (SDAI) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI). The patients were divided into four groups which were remission, low, middle and high disease activity. The correlations and consistencies among four methods were compared.

Disease activities evaluated by four methods in 172 RA patients were significantly positive correlated (P<0.01). It was significantly consistent between SDAI and CDAI, also between DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP, the Kappa values were 0.949 and 0.862 respectively. The differences of the four methods in remission and high disease activity groups were no statistical significance. The proportion of the patients in low disease activity and middle disease activity groups evaluated by DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP were statistical different from that evaluated by CDAI and SDAI (P<0.05).

Strong correlation was observed between the four methods. CDAI could be used to evaluate whether RA is remission or activity. For disease activity assessment, DSA28-ESR and DAS28-CRP seems superior to CDAI and SDAI.