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Self‐reported outcomes during treatment with tumour necrosis factor α inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Bala SidonaValentina,
Forslind Kristina,
Månsson Marie Edwinson
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
musculoskeletal care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1557-0681
pISSN - 1478-2189
DOI - 10.1002/msc.163
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , morning stiffness , visual analogue scale , morning , interquartile range , outpatient clinic , rheumatology , arthritis , physical therapy , psoriatic arthritis
Objective: To study how patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) self‐report their experience of disease‐related symptoms (fatigue, morning stiffness, pain) and their ability to cope with everyday life (capacity) using a nurse‐led structured follow‐up during the first year after starting treatment with tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) inhibitors. Methods: Thirty‐nine patients, who were being treated for their RA in our outpatient rheumatology clinic and were beginning treatment with TNF‐α inhibitors, agreed to evaluate and self‐report their experience of fatigue, morning stiffness, pain, and capacity using the visual analogue scale (VAS) every third month during their first year of treatment. A quantitative method was used to study the changes in these four variables. In addition, at the same time, we studied the relationship between self‐reported capacity and each of the three symptoms. Results: After 12 months' treatment with TNF‐α inhibitors, the change (median interquartile range [IQR]) measured with VAS was −14 (−38, −7) mm for fatigue, −22 (−47, −4) mm for morning stiffness, −28 (−50, 0) mm for pain and −27 (−48, −6) mm for capacity. All changes were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Baseline and 12 months' capacity correlated significantly with fatigue, morning stiffness and pain (all p < 0.01). In addition, the median change in self‐reported capacity correlated significantly with the median change in each of the three symptoms (p < 0.01). Conclusion: During the first year of treatment with TNF‐α inhibitors, patients reported decreased fatigue, morning stiffness and pain, while their capacity increased. The increased capacity rate closely followed the decrease in symptom rate. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.