Clinical predictors of erosion-free status in rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Treatment algorithms in RA include factors associated with poor prognosis; however, many patients remain erosion free despite years of disease. Our objective was to characterize the group of RA patients without erosions and identify its clinical predictors.

Methods

Our study was conducted within a prospective observational cohort of RA patients recruited from the outpatient practice of an academic medical centre. We studied patients with bilateral hand radiographs at cohort baseline and 2-year follow-up assessed with Sharp/van der Heijde scores (SHS). The primary outcome was erosion-free status at baseline and 2-year follow-up. We assessed baseline values of the following as potential correlates: age at RA onset, gender, RA duration, BMI, 28-joint DAS (DAS-28), CRP

SUBMITTER: Liao KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3133482 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature