OPINION - Factoring in fibromyalgia when assessing RA activity - can it be done?

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Factoring in Fibromyalgia When Assessing Rheumatoid Arthritis Activity

-- Can It Be Done?

Deane, MD

Posted: 06/10/2010

Fibromyalgic Rheumatoid Arthritis and Disease Assessment

Pollard LC, Kingsley GH, Choy EH, DL

Rheumatology. 2010;49:924-928

Introduction

There is a push for rheumatologists to use standardized tools, such as

the Disease Activity Score (DAS), to measure disease activity in

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to guide therapy.[1] However, permanent

joint damage or noninflammatory pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia

may affect the ability of tools that rely on patient-reported measures

to accurately assess the level of active inflammatory joint disease

and the subsequent need for alterations in immunomodulatory therapy.

For example, a patient may self-report severe widespread pain and

therefore have perceived high RA activity; however, in reality the

active inflammation may be minimal and the patient needs less, not

more, immunomodulation. These authors addressed this issue by

examining the clinical impact of fibromyalgic symptoms on measures of

disease activity in RA.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/723106

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