Properties of the International Classification for Functioning, Disability and Health in assessing hand outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Variables from a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Set for rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the ICF Core Sets for rheumatoid arthritis for assessing the functional outcomes of the rheumatoid hand.

Design: Prospective cohort.

Subjects: A total of 142 subjects with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Patients who elected to have or not have arthroplasty were linked with the ICF Core Sets. Study variables were assigned into one of the Core Set blocks that compose the ICF model. The blocks were then entered into multiple regression models to determine the contribution of each block in explaining the variation in hand outcome at enrollment, as well as the change in hand outcome after one year.

Results: Seventy percent of the reported hand outcome at enrollment was explained by the ICF Core Set blocks. For change in hand outcome at one year, the ICF Core Set blocks measured at enrollment explained 18% of the variance.

Conclusion: The components of the ICF Core Set for rheumatoid arthritis explained much of the variation in hand functioning for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but were not predictive of the change in hand functioning after one year.