Ann Rheum Dis 1997;56:197-200 ( March )

Concise reports

Correlation between conventional disease activity measures in juvenile chronic arthritis Angelo Ravelli, Stefania Viola, Nicolino Ruperto, Barbara Corsi, Giuseppina Ballardini, Alberto Martini

Clinica Pediatrica dell'Universita', IRCCS Policlinico "S Matteo", Pavia, Italy

Correspondence to: Professor A Martini, Clinica Pediatrica dell'Universita', IRCCS S Matteo, P le Golgi, 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy.

Accepted for publication 13 December 1996

OBJECTIVETo estimate in a cross sectional analysis the degree of colinearity among the disease activity measures more commonly used in juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA).
METHODSThis study assessed in a single clinical evaluation three subjective variables, three measures of functional capacity, eight articular indices, and two laboratory indicators of systemic inflammation in 55 consecutive children with JCA. The relation between the clinical measures of JCA activity was determined by Pearson correlation coefficients. An r value of 0.7 or greater was considered evidence of colinearity.
RESULTSAmong the subjective variables, parent global assessment of overall well being and parent assessment of pain were correlated with each other; the physician assessment of disease activity did not show evidence of colinearity with any other variable. The functional status measures were correlated with each other, but not with the indices of articular inflammation. There was a high degree of colinearity among the articular variables, with the number of active joints and the overall severity score being correlated with each other as well as with all the single articular indices. The laboratory variables were correlated with each other, but not with any of the articular, functional or subjective variables.
CONCLUSIONOur results show a high degree of colinearity among the disease activity measures belonging to the same category, whereas this is uncommon for variables that investigate different domains of disease activity. These data underline the need to include the evaluation of each domain in the assessment of JCA activity.

---

© 1997 by Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• MAGNANI, A., PISTORIO, A., MAGNI-MANZONI, S., FALCONE, A., LOMBARDINI, G., BANDEIRA, M., ROSSI, F., SALA, I., MARTINI, A., RAVELLI, A. (2009). Achievement of a State of Inactive Disease at Least Once in the First 5 Years Predicts Better Outcome of Patients with Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 628-634 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• BAZSO, A., CONSOLARO, A., RUPERTO, N., PISTORIO, A., VIOLA, S., MAGNI-MANZONI, S., MALATTIA, C., BUONCOMPAGNI, A., LOY, A., MARTINI, A., RAVELLI, A., for the Pediatric Rheumatology International Trial, (2009). Development and Testing of Reduced Joint Counts in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. The Journal of Rheumatology 36: 183-190 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Magni-Manzoni, S, Pistorio, A, Labo, E, Viola, S, Garcia-Munitis, P, Panigada, S, Visconti, C, Buoncompagni, A, Martini, A, Ravelli, A (2008). A longitudinal analysis of physical functional disability over the course of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 67: 1159-1164 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ding, T., Hall, A., Jacobs, K., David, J. (2008). Psychological functioning of children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis is related to physical disability but not to disease status. Rheumatology (Oxford) 47: 660-664 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bartoli, M, Taro, M, Magni-Manzoni, S, Pistorio, A, Traverso, F, Viola, S, Magnani, A, Gasparini, C, Martini, A, Ravelli, A (2008). The magnitude of early response to methotrexate therapy predicts long-term outcome of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 67: 370-374 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• van Rossum, M. A J, van Soesbergen, R. M, Boers, M., Zwinderman, A. H, Fiselier, T. J W, Franssen, M. J A M, ten Cate, R., van Suijlekom-Smit, L. W A, Wulffraat, N. M, Kuis, W., van Luijk, W. H J, Oostveen, J. C M, Dijkmans, B. A C, on behalf of the Dutch Juvenile Idiopathic Arthrit, (2007). Long-term outcome of juvenile idiopathic arthritis following a placebo-controlled trial: sustained benefits of early sulfasalazine treatment. Ann Rheum Dis 66: 1518-1524 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Sztajnbok, F., Coronel-Martinez, D. L., Diaz-Maldonado, A., Novarini, C., Pistorio, A., Viola, S., Ruperto, N., Buoncompagni, A., Martini, A., Ravelli, A. (2007). Discordance between physician's and parent's global assessments in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 46: 141-145 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bandeira, M., Falcone, A., Pistorio, A., Ruperto, N., Magni-Manzoni, S., Buoncompagni, A., Sala, E., Loy, A., Martini, A., Ravelli, A. (2006). Weighting improves the information provided by joint counts on the severity of arthritis and its impact on patients' well-being in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 45: 343-347 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Moretti, C, Viola, S, Pistorio, A, Magni-Manzoni, S, Ruperto, N, Martini, A, Ravelli, A (2005). Relative responsiveness of condition specific and generic health status measures in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 64: 257-261 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Vignola, S., Picco, P., Falcini, F., Sabatini, F., Buoncompagni, A., Gattorno, M. (2002). Serum and synovial fluid concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor in juvenile idiopathic arthritides. Rheumatology (Oxford) 41: 691-696 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ravelli, A., Viola, S., Migliavacca, D., Pistorio, A., Ruperto, N., Martini, A. (2001). Discordance between proxy-reported and observed assessment of functional ability of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 40: 914-919 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Kivivuori, S. M., Pelkonen, P., Ylijoki, H., Verronen, P., Siimes, M. A. (2000). Elevated serum transferrin receptor concentration in children with juvenile chronic arthritis as evidence of iron deficiency. Rheumatology (Oxford) 39: 193-197 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Gattorno, M, Picco, P, Vignola, S, Stalla, F, Buoncompagni, A, Pistoia, V (1998). Serum interleukin 12 concentration in juvenile chronic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 57: 425-428 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Ruperto, N., Ravelli, A., Falcini, F., Lepore, L., De Sanctis, R., Zulian, F., Buoncompagni, A., Sardella, M. L., Strano, C., Alessio, M., Viola, S., Martini, A. (1998). Performance of the preliminary definition of improvement in juvenile chronic arthritis patients treated with methotrexate. Ann Rheum Dis 57: 38-41 [Abstract] [Full Text]