Assessment of the minimal clinically important difference for the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index in patients with arthralgia at risk for progression to rheumatoid arthritis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients with arthralgia at-risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience considerable functional disability, though generally less than at RA diagnosis. Secondary prevention trials have shown that treatment can improve disability in patients with arthralgia. However, interpreting the clinical relevancy of the improvements in Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) is hampered by the lack of a defined minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in this disease stage. Results from other disciplines than rheumatology suggested that the MCID depends on absolute severity values. Therefore, we hypothesised that the MCID for HAQ-DI in RA depends on absolute values. We aimed to investigate this and, if so, to determine the MCID for disability in the risk

SUBMITTER: Claassen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12458770 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature