EULAR/eumusc.net standards of care for rheumatoid arthritis: cross-sectional analyses of importance, level of implementation and care gaps experienced by patients and rheumatologists across 35 European countries.

Objective: As part of European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/European Musculoskeletal Conditions Surveillance and Information Network, 20 user-focused standards of care (SoCs) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) addressing 16 domains of care were developed. This study aimed to explore gaps in implementation of these SoCs across Europe.

Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys on the importance, level of and barriers (patients only) to implementation of each SoC (0-10, 10 highest) were designed to be conducted among patients and rheumatologists in 50 European countries.

The eumusc.net standards of care for rheumatoid arthritis: importance and current implementation according to patients and healthcare providers in the Netherlands.

Objectives: The eumusc.net standards of care (SOCs) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) aimed to improve quality of care across Europe. This study investigated importance and implementation of each standard according to patients and health care professionals (HCPs) in the Netherlands and identified barriers towards implementation.

Influence of disease activity on RA treatment choices in countries with restricted access to expensive, innovative drugs: a discrete choice experiment among rheumatologists.

Objective: To assess the influence of disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis on treatment choices of rheumatologists in countries with restricted access to expensive, innovative drugs.

Methods: Rheumatologists from Hungary, Romania and UK were invited to complete two consecutive discrete choice experiments with hypothetical drug treatments for two different patient profiles: high and moderate disease activity. Rheumatologists were asked to choose repeatedly between two unlabelled treatment options that differed in five attributes: efficacy (expected improvement and achieved disease activity state), safety (probability of serious adverse events), patient's preference (level of agreement), total medication costs and cost-effectiveness.

Equivalence in the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) across socio-demographic determinants: Analyses within QUEST-RA.

Objectives: To investigate potential bias in scores of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) related to socio-demographic (SD) background of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Data from the Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Rheumatoid Arthritis study (QUEST-RA), comprising 9022 patients were analysed. Physical function was assessed through 30 items of four HAQ versions: the HAQ-Disability scale, HAQ-II, modified HAQ and multi-dimensional HAQ (MD-HAQ).

Patients' preferences and economic considerations play an important role in treatment decisions: a discrete choice experiment among rheumatologists.

Objective: To evaluate to what extent rheumatologists consider economic aspects and patients' preferences when choosing drug treatments in patients with active RA.

Methods: In a discrete choice experiment, rheumatologists were asked to choose between two unlabelled drug treatment options for a hypothetical RA patient with moderate disease activity who failed two synthetic DMARDs. Attributes and levels of drug treatments were selected based on existing literature, rheumatologists' opinion and expert consensus.

Economic considerations and patients' preferences affect treatment selection for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a discrete choice experiment among European rheumatologists.

Objective: To compare the value that rheumatologists across Europe attach to patients' preferences and economic aspects when choosing treatments for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: In a discrete choice experiment, European rheumatologists chose between two hypothetical drug treatments for a patient with moderate disease activity. Treatments differed in five attributes: efficacy (improvement and achieved state on disease activity), safety (probability of serious adverse events), patient's preference (level of agreement), medication costs and cost-effectiveness (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER)).

In rheumatoid arthritis, country of residence has an important influence on fatigue: results from the multinational COMORA study.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between country of residence and fatigue in RA, and to explore which country characteristics are related to fatigue.

Methods: Data from the multinational COMORA study were analysed. Contribution of country of residence to level of fatigue [0-10 on visual analogue scale (VAS)] and presence of severe fatigue (VAS ⩾ 5) was explored in multivariable linear or logistic regression models including first socio-demographics and objective disease outcomes (M1), and then also subjective outcomes (M2).

In wealthier countries, patients perceive worse impact of the disease although they have lower objectively assessed disease activity: results from the cross-sectional COMORA study.

Objectives: To investigate patterns in patient-reported and physician-reported disease outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from countries with different level of socioeconomic development.

Methods: Data from a cross-sectional multinational study (COMOrbidities in RA) were used. Contribution of socioeconomic welfare (gross domestic product (GDP); low vs high) of country of residence to physician-reported (tender joint count, swollen joint count (SJC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, disease activity score based on 28 joints assessment (DAS28)-3v based on these three components and physician global assessment) and patient-reported (modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (mHAQ), patient global assessment and fatigue) disease outcomes was explored in linear regressions, adjusting for relevant confounders.