REVIEW

Swedish registers to examine drug safety and clinical issues in RA

J Askling^1,2, C M Fored¹, P Geborek³, L T H Jacobsson⁴, R van Vollenhoven², N Feltelius², S Lindblad², L Klareskog²

¹ Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine at Karolinska University Hospital Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
² Department of Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
³ Department of Rheumatology, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
⁴ Department of Rheumatology, Malmö University Hospital and Lund University, Malmö, Sweden

Correspondence to:
Dr J Askling
Clinical Epidemiology Unit M9:01, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, SE 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden; johan.askling{at}ki.se

Data from several different monitoring systems are examined. The potential for registers based on data obtained from clinical practice, and linkage of such data to national health and population registers, is discussed. The approach described is a possible prototype for long term surveillance systems needed for the safe introduction of new treatments.

Abbreviations: ACR, American College of Rheumatology; ARTIS, Anti-rheumatic therapies in Sweden; CI, confidence interval; DAS28, 28 joint count Disease Activity Score; DMARDs, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs; HAQ, Health Assessment Questionnaire; MPA, Medical Products Agency; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RR, relative risk; SSATG, South Swedish Anti-TNF Group Register; STURE, Stockholm Tumor Necrosis Factor- Follow-up Registry; TNF, tumour necrosis factor; VAS, visual analogue scale

Keywords: Sweden; tumour necrosis factor; RA; register; epidemiology

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