Session Information
Session Type: ACR Concurrent Abstract Session
Session Time: 11:00AM-12:30PM
Background/Purpose: Best practice recommendations can increase quality of care and improve clinical outcomes, however the impact of recommendations on outcomes that matter most to patients have not been evaluated. We compare changes in patient reported outcomes (PROs) valued most by people with RA in the first year of follow up, as well as prior (2007-10) and subsequent (2011-16) to the 2010 release of Treat to Target and 2011 Canadian RA Treatment Recommendations.
Methods: Data included ERA adults enrolled in CATCH (Canadian early ArThritis CoHort) between 2007-16 who met 1987 or 2010 RA criteria and had active disease at enrolment. Standardized visits included clinical assessments, questionnaires, and laboratory tests every 3 months. Treatment was at the discretion of the rheumatologist and cohort investigators met annually to discuss ways to improve outcomes. We examined changes in DAS28, pain, fatigue, patient global and HAQ at 6 and 12 months prior to and after guidelines release.
Results: The sample included 1942 adults who were mostly female (72%) with a mean (SD) age of 55 (15), 2 (2) comorbidities, and symptom duration of 6 (3) months. At enrollment, almost all (95%) were in DAS28 moderate or high disease activity [MDA (42%), HDA (53%)], and were initially treated with csDMARDS (92%) and MTX (75%). CDAI, DAS28 and PROs by DAS28 disease levels are shown in the Table. As mean DAS28 scores decreased over the first year, similar clinically meaningful improvements in patient global, pain, and fatigue were also evident (-3.0, -2.8, -2.3, -0.6; p’s<.001). When comparing change in PROs in 2007-2010 vs 2011-2016, there were more rapid improvements in patient global and pain at 6 and 12 months (p’s<.001; Figure) and similar improvements in HAQ and fatigue.
Conclusion: Results from this large country-wide study suggest that better disease control in the first year of RA translated to similar improvements in pain, fatigue and disability–symptoms that patients identify as important–resulting in greater overall well-being. These data offer additional evidence supporting the importance of early identification and control of disease activity to improve long term outcomes and quality of life in people with RA.
Mean (SD) |
Total |
LDA |
MDA |
HDA |
N (%) |
1942 |
(93, 5%) |
(828, 42%) |
(1021, 53%) |
DAS28 |
5.2 (1.3) |
2.9 (0.2) |
4.2 (0.5) |
6.2 (0.8) |
CDAI |
28.1 (13.8) |
10.8 (5.3) |
19.4 (8.0) |
36.9 (11.8) |
Patient Global (0-10) |
6.0 (2.8) |
3.2 (2.2) |
4.9 (2.7) |
7.2 (2.4) |
Pain (0-10) |
5.7 (2.8) |
3.3 (2.3) |
4.6 (2.6) |
6.8 (2.4) |
Fatigue (0-10) |
5.4 (3.0) |
3.8 (2.8) |
4.6 (2.9) |
6.1 (2.9) |
HAQ–DI (0-3) |
1.1 (0.7) |
0.6 (0.5) |
0.8 (0.6) |
1.4 (0.7) |
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Bartlett SJ, Schieir O, Valois MF, Hitchon CA, Pope JE, Boire G, Haraoui B, Keystone EC, Tin D, Thorne C, Bykerk VP. Does Guideline-Based Care Improve Outcomes That Matter to Patients? Tighter Control, Less Suffering, and Greater Well-Being over the Past Decade in Canadian RA Patients [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/does-guideline-based-care-improve-outcomes-that-matter-to-patients-tighter-control-less-suffering-and-greater-well-being-over-the-past-decade-in-canadian-ra-patients/. Accessed .« Back to 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/does-guideline-based-care-improve-outcomes-that-matter-to-patients-tighter-control-less-suffering-and-greater-well-being-over-the-past-decade-in-canadian-ra-patients/