Inflammatory correlates of the Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity vary in relation to disease duration and autoantibody status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate the associations between the Patient Global Assessment (PGA) and measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to disease duration and autoantibody status.

Methods: 1412 patients from three independent cohorts were studied: a prospective cohort of 810 patients with early RA followed up for 24 months; a cross-sectional cohort of 210 patients with established RA in low disease activity; a cross-sectional cohort of 401 patients with established RA in moderate-to-high disease activity. Correlations of the PGA were analysed by Pearson's coefficients and multivariable linear regression at baseline and at months 6, 12 and 24 in the overall populations and after stratification for autoantibody subgroup and remission status (Boolean remission, PGA near remission and non-remission).