RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Italian registry of aggressive rheumatoid arthritis -- the GIARA project.
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 2374
OP 2381
VO 34
IS 12
A1 Antonio Marchesoni
A1 Marcello Govoni
A1 Gabriele Valentini
A1 Guido Valesini
A1 Fausto Salaffi
A1 Pierluigi Macchioni
A1 Ornella Della Casa Alberighi
A1 Gianfranco Ferraccioli
A1 GIARA
YR 2007
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/34/12/2374.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE: In 1999, the Italian Society of Rheumatology started a project to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of aggressive rheumatoid arthritis (ARA). METHODS: For 1 year, all patients with RA for > 5 years and referred to participating centers were entered in a registry and classified as having ARA if they fulfilled the following criteria: 10 swollen joints for at least 6 weeks, positive rheumatoid factor (RF), and at least one bone erosion (if disease duration of 2 years); (a) RF-positive and having 10 swollen joints or at least one newly eroded joint, or (b) if RF-negative, having 10 swollen joints and at least one newly eroded joint (if disease duration > 2 to < 5 years). RESULTS: The 94 participating centers enrolled 1218 patients with RA, 1130 of whom had enough data to be classified as ARA (29.0%) or non-ARA (71.0%). The frequency of ARA was 15% in the 2-year group and 63% in the > 2 to < 5-year group, but 35% of the patients in the 2-year group had erosions. Bone erosions were associated with disease duration, a Health Assessment Questionnaire value > 1.5, female sex, and RF positivity. Conditions other than RA were recorded in about 50% of the patients, and only 30% 40% were taking disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. CONCLUSION: In an Italian RA population, the GIARA (Gruppo Italiano Artrite Reumatoide Aggressiva) criteria for ARA were met by 15% of the patients with disease duration of 2 years, but erosions were seen in 35%. Upon referral, most of the RA patients were inadequately treated and had other conditions.