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The effect of a tight control regime with monthly follow-up on remission rates and reported pain in early rheumatoid arthritis

Aronsson, Maria LU orcid ; Teleman, Annika ; Bergman, Stefan LU ; Lindqvist, Elisabet LU orcid ; Forslind, Kristina LU and Andersson, Maria L.E. LU orcid (2023) In Musculoskeletal Care 21(1). p.159-168
Abstract

Objective: To determine whether a tight control (TC) regime with monthly consultations to the physician for the first 6 months, could increase remission rate and improve reported pain of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: In this single-centre, TC study, with monthly visits to the physician, a cohort of 100 patients with early RA was consecutively included. They were compared with a reference cohort of 100 patients from the same clinic that had been conventionally managed. The patients were followed for 2 years. Results: The patients in the TC cohort had lower 28- joints disease activity score (DAS28) at three, six, 12 and 24 months, compared with the conventionally managed cohort, p ≤ 0.001. At 12 months, 71% in... (More)

Objective: To determine whether a tight control (TC) regime with monthly consultations to the physician for the first 6 months, could increase remission rate and improve reported pain of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: In this single-centre, TC study, with monthly visits to the physician, a cohort of 100 patients with early RA was consecutively included. They were compared with a reference cohort of 100 patients from the same clinic that had been conventionally managed. The patients were followed for 2 years. Results: The patients in the TC cohort had lower 28- joints disease activity score (DAS28) at three, six, 12 and 24 months, compared with the conventionally managed cohort, p ≤ 0.001. At 12 months, 71% in the TC cohort versus 46% in the conventional cohort were in remission (DAS28 < 2.6) and at 24 months 68% versus 49% respectively, p < 0.05. The TC cohort reported less pain at three, six, 12 and 24 months, p < 0.001. Multiple logistical regression analyses adjusted for, respectively, age, disease duration, pharmacological treatment, DAS28 and visual analogue scale pain at inclusion, revealed that participation in the TC cohort had an independent positive association with remission at 12 and 24 months and with acceptable pain at 24 months. Conclusion: The intensive follow-up schedule for patients with early RA improved remission and led to improvement in reported pain and physical function. The positive effect of a TC regime in early disease may be due to increased empowerment, developed by meeting health professionals frequently.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
early RA, pain, remission, rheumatoid arthritis, tight control
in
Musculoskeletal Care
volume
21
issue
1
pages
159 - 168
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • scopus:85135865836
  • pmid:35962485
ISSN
1478-2189
DOI
10.1002/msc.1681
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
831a34b0-c865-4ebc-9ee1-b08afc0e22b9
date added to LUP
2022-10-06 13:48:58
date last changed
2024-06-13 19:57:25
@article{831a34b0-c865-4ebc-9ee1-b08afc0e22b9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective: To determine whether a tight control (TC) regime with monthly consultations to the physician for the first 6 months, could increase remission rate and improve reported pain of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: In this single-centre, TC study, with monthly visits to the physician, a cohort of 100 patients with early RA was consecutively included. They were compared with a reference cohort of 100 patients from the same clinic that had been conventionally managed. The patients were followed for 2 years. Results: The patients in the TC cohort had lower 28- joints disease activity score (DAS28) at three, six, 12 and 24 months, compared with the conventionally managed cohort, p ≤ 0.001. At 12 months, 71% in the TC cohort versus 46% in the conventional cohort were in remission (DAS28 &lt; 2.6) and at 24 months 68% versus 49% respectively, p &lt; 0.05. The TC cohort reported less pain at three, six, 12 and 24 months, p &lt; 0.001. Multiple logistical regression analyses adjusted for, respectively, age, disease duration, pharmacological treatment, DAS28 and visual analogue scale pain at inclusion, revealed that participation in the TC cohort had an independent positive association with remission at 12 and 24 months and with acceptable pain at 24 months. Conclusion: The intensive follow-up schedule for patients with early RA improved remission and led to improvement in reported pain and physical function. The positive effect of a TC regime in early disease may be due to increased empowerment, developed by meeting health professionals frequently.</p>}},
  author       = {{Aronsson, Maria and Teleman, Annika and Bergman, Stefan and Lindqvist, Elisabet and Forslind, Kristina and Andersson, Maria L.E.}},
  issn         = {{1478-2189}},
  keywords     = {{early RA; pain; remission; rheumatoid arthritis; tight control}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{159--168}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Musculoskeletal Care}},
  title        = {{The effect of a tight control regime with monthly follow-up on remission rates and reported pain in early rheumatoid arthritis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/msc.1681}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/msc.1681}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}