RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Proposed Core Set of Items for Measuring Disease Activity in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.161534
DO 10.3899/jrheum.161534
A1 Elizaveta Limenis
A1 Brian M.  Feldman
A1 Camille Achonu
A1 Michelle Batthish
A1 Bianca Lang
A1 Marjorie Mclimont
A1 Sylvia Ota
A1 Athimalaipet Ramanan
A1 Rosie Scuccimarri
A1 Nancy L.  Young
A1 Rayfel Schneider
YR 2017
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2017/07/26/jrheum.161534.abstract
AB Objective To date, there are no standardized disease activity tools for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). We developed a core set of disease activity measures for sJIA. Methods We conducted a validation study in patients with sJIA recruited from 3 Canadian institutions. Disease activity scores were based on questionnaires, clinical factors, and laboratory measures. The physician’s global assessment was our criterion standard. We determined the strength of association of each item with the criterion standard. We then surveyed international experts to determine the top 10 items. Finally, we used the experts’ responses to generate a proposed core set of disease activity measures. Results We enrolled 57 subjects — 26 with moderately or severely active disease, and 31 with mildly active or inactive disease. Items that most strongly correlated with the criterion standard were number of active joints (r = 0.79), parent’s global assessment of disease activity (r = 0.53), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; r = 0.62), and C-reactive protein (CRP; r = 0.61). The response rate from international experts was 82% (154/187). Items with the most votes, in descending order, were number of active joints, number of days with fever in the preceding 2 weeks, patient’s and parent’s global assessments of disease activity, sJIA rash, ESR, CRP, and hemoglobin level. Conclusion We propose a core set of items for measuring disease activity in sJIA. Future research should be aimed at further validation of this core set in the international context.