PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - L Gossec AU - M Dougados AU - P Goupille AU - A Cantagrel AU - J Sibilia AU - O Meyer AU - J Sany AU - J-P Daurès AU - B Combe TI - Prognostic factors for remission in early rheumatoid arthritis: a multiparameter prospective study AID - 10.1136/ard.2003.010611 DP - 2004 Jun 01 TA - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases PG - 675--680 VI - 63 IP - 6 4099 - http://ard.bmj.com/content/63/6/675.short 4100 - http://ard.bmj.com/content/63/6/675.full SO - Ann Rheum Dis2004 Jun 01; 63 AB - Objective: To determine prognostic factors for remission in early rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: 191 patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose disease duration was less than one year were followed up prospectively for five years. Remission, defined by a disease activity score (DAS) of <1.6, was used as the outcome measure. Baseline clinical, laboratory, genetic, and radiographic data (with radiographic scores determined by Sharp’s method, modified by van der Heijde) were obtained. Results: 48 patients (25.1%) fulfilled the remission criteria at the three year follow up visit, and 30 (15.7%) at three and five years. On univariate analysis by Fisher’s exact test, remission at three years and persistent remission at five years were closely correlated with baseline DAS values, C reactive protein level, Ritchie score, health assessment questionnaire score, duration of morning stiffness, and to a lesser extent baseline total radiological scores and rheumatoid factor negativity. No significant correlation was found with sex, age, extra-articular manifestations, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-cyclic citrullinated protein antibodies, anti-keratin antibodies, anti-HSP 90, anticalpastatin antibodies, antinuclear antibodies, or HLA-DRB1* genotypes. Logistic regression analysis showed that the baseline independent variables predictive of remission were low DAS, Ritchie score, morning stiffness duration, and total radiographic score. Conclusions: Baseline prognostic factors for remission in early rheumatoid arthritis were mainly clinical markers of disease activity and radiological scores.