OBJECTIVE The Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), used to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is a composite score comprising clinical, biochemical, and patient self-report measures. We hypothesized that psychological factors (cognitions and mood) would be more strongly associated with patient-reported components of the DAS28 than clinical or biochemical components. ...

INTRODUCTION We conducted an external validation study to examine the correlation of a previously published claims-based index for rheumatoid arthritis severity (CIRAS) with disease activity score in 28 joints calculated by using C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) and the multi-dimensional health assessment questionnaire (MD-HAQ) physical function score. METHODS Patients enrolled in the Brigham a...

The objective of this work was to assess the convergent validity of a previously developed rheumatoid arthritis medical records-based index of severity (RARBIS) by comparing it with the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). This study was conducted in subjects within the Brigham and Women's Hospital Rheumatoid Arthritis Sequential Study (BRASS). We selected 100 patients with rheumatoid arthr...

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment paradigms have shifted over the last two decades. There has been increasing emphasis on combination disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, newer biologic therapies have become available and there is a greater focus on achieving remission. We have evaluated the impact of treatment changes on disease activity scores for 28 joints (DAS...

This open-label study investigated the safety and efficacy of tocilizumab in Middle Eastern patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients whose Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints (DAS28) was >3.2 received tocilizumab 8 mg/kg intravenously every 4 weeks for 24 weeks. Patients receiving aTNF ± nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug(s) (DMARD(s)) switched to tocilizumab; patie...

OBJECTIVES To determine the relationship between serum levels of B cell activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) and disease activity (DAS28) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. METHODS Twenty-two male and 31 female psoriasis patients fulfilling the CASPAR criteria for PsA were recruited for the study. Disease activity was recorded using the disease activity score for 28 joints...

OBJECTIVE To test the efficacy of standardised monitoring using the disease activity index DAS28 versus usual care on disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) prescription and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS A 24 week cluster randomised trial. Rheumatology outpatient centres were randomised to systematic monitoring of disease activity using the DAS28 (12 centres, 205 pat...

BACKGROUND The role of obesity in clinical curse of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not clear. We investigated the association of obesity and adiposity with disease activity and clinical response to combination therapy in RA patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Active RA patients with the disease activity score using 28 joint counts (DAS28) > 2.6 were studied. Height, weight, and waist and hip circum...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the application of Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) to assess joint involvement in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Sixty-nine SLE patients, complaining of joint symptoms, and 44 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were enrolled. In SLE patients disease activity was assessed with SLEDAI-2K. DAS28 was calculated in all the patients. RESULTS Thirty SLE patien...