ARAMIS and toxicity measurement. (Arthritis Rheumatism and Aging Medical Information System)

Side effects of medications make up an important part of adverse outcomes experienced by patients with rheumatic diseases. Quantitative measures to assess toxicity, however, have not been available, and this lack has limited estimates of the magnitude of effects and of differences in side effects among different drugs. This paper describes the development of the Arthritis, Rheumatism and Aging Medical Information System (ARAMIS) Toxicity Index and the issues arising in construction of such an index, and reviews early results in comparing toxicities of antirheumatic drugs. Findings have had major value in revising therapeutic strategies for rheumatic diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, and have set the stage for development of toxicity-therapeutic ratios for different drugs.