PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Tuulikki Sokka
AU  - Hannu Kautiainen
AU  - Arja Häkkinen
AU  - Pekka Hannonen
TI  - Radiographic progression is getting milder in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Results of 3 cohorts over 5 years.
DP  - 2004 Jun 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 1073--1082
VI  - 31
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/31/6/1073.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/31/6/1073.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2004 Jun 01; 31
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is a common impression, rarely documented, that the outlook of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is different today compared to previous decades. We investigated the 5-year radiographic progression of 3 cohorts of patients with early RA enrolled in the 1980s and 1990s. METHODS: Patients with early RA were enrolled into 3 separate studies in 1983-85 (n = 58; Cohort A), 1988-89 (n = 77; Cohort B), and 1995-96 (n = 62; Cohort C) at one rheumatology center; all were subsequently treated actively with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs according to the "sawtooth strategy" to control inflammation, and monitored regularly to collect data for evaluation of longterm outcome. Evaluation over 5 years included disease activity measures and medications. Radiographs of hands and feet taken at baseline and at 2 and 5 years were analyzed by Larsen score (0-100). RESULTS: Larsen score increased by a median of 12, 6, and 4 points by Year 5 in cohorts A, B, and C, respectively (p = 0.001), adjusted for age, sex, rheumatoid factor (+/-), and the baseline values for Larsen score and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. RF positivity and persistent high disease activity over 5 years were associated with greater progression of radiographic damage. CONCLUSION: Radiographic progression was greatest in the earliest cohort and mildest in the most recent cohort, a phenomenon that was also seen in the literature review. The reasons for the observation may include (1) improved therapy, (2) milder disease, and (3) patient selection.