Open AccessBiopsychosocial parameters of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Parker Jerry C.,
Smarr Karen L.,
Walker Sara E.,
Hagglund Kristofer J.,
Anderson Sharon K.,
Hewett John E.,
Bridges Alan J.,
William Caldwell C.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
arthritis & rheumatism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/art.1790040204
Subject(s) - biopsychosocial model , medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , depression (economics) , disease , learned helplessness , arthritis , physical therapy , clinical psychology , psychiatry , economics , macroeconomics
The purpose of this study was to examine the applicability of a biopsychosocial model for estimating disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Sixty‐three patients with RA were evaluated at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Joint counts were collected as the measure of disease activity. Peripheral blood immunophenotypic subsets, demographic characteristics, and psychological measures were obtained and entered into hierarchical regression analyses, with the joint count as the dependent variable. Immunophenotypic subsets (that is, CD57 + /CD16 − , HLA‐DR + ) were predictive of disease activity at all three time intervals. At baseline and 3 months, psychological variables (that is, helplessness and depression) were significantly related to joint counts, and the full model was highly significant. The conclusion was that the biopsychosocial perspective is useful for estimating RA disease activity.