REPORT

Clinical aspects

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for rheumatoid arthritis: a way to specify functioning

G Stucki^1,2, A Cieza²

¹ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
² ICF Research Branch of the WHO FIC CC (DIMDI), IMBK—Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor G Stucki
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany; Director, ICF Research Branch, WHO FIC CC (DIMDI), IMBK, Germany, Ludwig-Maxmilians-University Munich, Marchioninistr. 17, 81377 Munich, Germany; gerold.stucki{at}med.uni-muenchen.de

Today, patients’ functioning is a central issue in medicine. Concepts, classifications, and measurements of functioning and health, such as the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) are of prime importance in clinical practice, teaching, and research. This report compares the contents of three of the most widely used health status measures in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), namely the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (HAQ), the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2), and the Short Form health survey (SF-36) based on the ICF. In addition, their content is compared to the Comprehensive ICF Core Set for RA.

The comparisons illustrate that the different health status measures cover different components, and that they cover the different components with different level of precision. Using the ICF as a reference framework allows a researcher or a recommending instance to see which domains are covered in a specific instrument and, therefore, whether it is necessary to complement the study with other measures. Nevertheless, which specific health status measures to recommend still remains a challenge. If enough care is taken to define "what should be measured", it could form the basis for a solid and stable recommendation, adhered to for many years.

Abbreviations: ACR, American College of Rheumatology; AIMS, Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index; ICF, International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; OMERACT, Outcome MEasures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Clinical Trials; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; SF-36, Short Form health survey; WHO, World Health Organization

Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis; outcome assessment; quality of life; ICF core sets

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