Remote monitoring tools in rheumatoid arthritis patients: FACIT-fatigue and HAQ.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the association of clinical activity with pain, fatigue and disability in patients with RA.

METHODS

Prospective observational study of 3 months of follow-up in 60 patients who initiate biological or anti-JAK therapy. We analyzed changes in the PROs reported by patients through FACIT-fatigue, HAQ questionnaires and pain VAS. Clinical activity through DAS28, DAS28-CRP, SDAI and CDAI index was measured.

RESULTS

We observed a statistically significant association between clinical activity and the fatigue, pain and disability (p<0.001). A greater fatigue was associated with a greater perception of pain and high tender joint number (p=0.002). Patients who discontinued treatment presented higher fatigue (p=0.044) and disability (p=0.0013) than those who continued treatment, regardless of the type of treatment, the time of evolution, as well as whether or not they had received previous biological therapies.

CONCLUSION

PROs would be helpful in the disease control in cases where a remote monitoring is needed, since PROs showed a significant association with clinical activity in RA.