EULAR recommendations for the health professional's approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Pain is the predominant symptom for people with inflammatory arthritis (IA) and osteoarthritis (OA) mandating the development of evidence-based recommendations for the health professional's approach to pain management. A multidisciplinary task force including professionals and patient representatives conducted a systematic literature review of systematic reviews to evaluate evidence regarding effects on pain of multiple treatment modalities. Overarching principles and recommendations regarding assessment and pain treatment were specified on the basis of reviewed evidence and expert opinion.

The prevalence of severe fatigue in rheumatic diseases: an international study.

Fatigue is a common, disabling, and difficult-to-manage problem in rheumatic diseases. Prevalence estimates of fatigue within rheumatic diseases vary considerably. Data on the prevalence of severe fatigue across multiple rheumatic diseases using a similar instrument is missing.

Contribution of the subjective components of the disease activity score to the response to biologic treatment in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: A significant proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis do not respond adequately to biologic treatment. We hypothesized that lack of response to (biologic) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is high in patients in whom the subjective, patient-reported component of the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) is high at baseline. The primary aim of our present study was to investigate the contribution of the more subjective versus the objective components of the DAS28 to response to biologic agents in RA patients, as well as the changes in this contribution over time.

Change of psychological distress and physical disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis over the last two decades.

Objective: During the past decades, a more cautious approach with respect to prescribing medication and physical exercise progressed toward evidence-based guidelines regarding the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Currently, physical activity and other means to improve well-being and functioning are encouraged, and the disease is targeted earlier with more intensive and aggressive pharmacologic treatment. The current study examined whether psychological distress and physical disability in patients with RA reduced over the last 2 decades and whether this is explained by a reduction of disease activity.

The prospective association between psychological distress and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: a multilevel regression analysis.

Background: Cross-sectional associations suggest a mutual impact of disease activity and psychological distress in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but a prospective association has not been established.

Objective: To examine concurrent and prospective associations between psychological distress and disease activity.

Methods: Patients with RA (N=545, disease duration ≤1 year, age 18-83 years, 69% female, 64% rheumatoid factor (RF) positive) were monitored for 5 years.