Remission of rheumatoid arthritis and potential determinants: a national multi-center cross-sectional survey

• Published in: Clinical rheumatology Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 221 - 230
• Main Authors: Wang, Guan-Ying, Zhang, Sa-Li, Wang, Xiu-Ru, Feng, Min, Li, Chun, An, Yuan, Li, Xiao- Feng, Wang, Li-Zhi, Wang, Cai-Hong, Wang, Yong-Fu, Yang, Rong, Yan, Hui-Ming, Wang, Guo-Chun, Lu, Xin, Liu, Xia, Zhu, Ping, Chen, Li-Na, Jin, Hong-Tao, Liu, Jin-Ting, Guo, Hui-Fang, Chen, Hai-Ying, Xie, Jian-Li, Wei, Ping, Wang, Jun-Xiang, Liu, Xiang-Yuan, Sun, Lin, Cui, Liu-Fu, Shu, Rong, Liu, Bai-Lu, Yu, Ping, Zhang, Zhuo-Li, Li, Guang-Tao, Li, Zhen-Bin, Yang, Jing, Li, Jun-Fang, Jia, Bin, Zhang, Feng-Xiao, Tao, Jie-Mei, Lin, Jin-Ying, Wei, Mei-Qiu, Liu, Xiao-Min, Ke, Dan, Hu, Shao-Xian, Ye, Cong, Han, Shu-Ling, Yang, Xiu-Yan, Li, Hao, Huang, Ci-Bo, Gao, Ming, Lai, Bei, Cheng, Yong-Jing, Li, Xing-Fu, Song, Li-Jun, Yu, Xiao-Xia, Wang, Ai-Xue, Wu, Li-Jun, Wang, Yan-Hua, He, Lan, Sun, Wen-Wen, Gong, Lu, Wang, Xiao-Yuan, Wang, Yi, Zhao, Yi, Li, Xiao-Xia, Wang, Yan, Zhang, Yan, Su, Yin, Zhang, Chun-Fang, Mu, Rong, Li, Zhan-Guo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01-02-2015; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnosis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; China; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Remission Induction; Rheumatology; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome; China; Remission; Cross-sectional study; Rheumatoid arthritis; Risk factors
• ISSN: 0770-3198; 1434-9949
• DOI: 10.1007/s10067-014-2828-3

The aim of this study is to investigate the remission rate of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China and identify its potential determinants. A multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2009 to January 2012. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews of the rheumatology outpatients in 28 tertiary hospitals in China. The remission rates were calculated in 486 RA patients according to different definitions of remission: the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), the Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) Boolean definition. Potential determinants of RA remission were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The remission rates of RA from this multi-center cohort were 8.6 % (DAS28), 8.4 % (SDAI), 8.2 % (CDAI), and 6.8 % (Boolean), respectively. Favorable factors associated with remission were: low Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, absence of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), and treatment of methotrexate (MTX) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Younger age was also predictive for the DAS28 and the Boolean remission. Multivariate analyses revealed a low HAQ score, the absence of anti-CCP, and the treatment with HCQ as independent determinants of remission. The clinical remission rate of RA patients was low in China. A low HAQ score, the absence of anti-CCP, and HCQ were significant independent determinants for RA remission.