Study: RA Hurts More Than Physicians Realize
FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CANADIAN RHEUMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION
In the established RA group, the PtGA and MDGA scores showed no discrepancy in 75% of patients. But in 24%, patients reported worse disease than their physicians did, and in 1%, physicians reported worse disease than patients did.
Compared with their counterparts having no discrepancy, patients over-reporting or under-reporting disease activity were younger; had a higher damaged joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level; and reported more pain.
"So in both groups, pain is a common theme," Ms. Choi pointed out. And indeed, additional analysis showed that reported pain scores were positively correlated with the magnitude of the PtGA-MDGA discrepancy (r = 0.84). Also, among the patients with established disease, pain scores were positively correlated with the number of damaged joints (rS = 0.37).
Ms. Choi said she had no relevant financial disclosures.
