OBJECTIVE: Due to advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapies over the last few years, an increasing proportion of patients are able to achieve a state of remission. However, the definition of remission is unclear. Currently, randomized controlled trials around the world use different remission definitions and consequently measure different aspects of a patient's disease state. The need for a uniform definition of remission is vital for research findings to be correctly interpreted. METHODS: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) constituted a committee that included international clinical researchers, trialists, and clinical epidemiologists in order to redefine remission in RA. This group was asked to study current definitions of remission, explore the theoretical underpinning of the concept of remission, and develop a research agenda that would inform future work in the development of an ACR definition of remission. RESULTS: In its first meeting, the committee preferred to develop a strict definition, implying no or very low disease activity. Such a definition would need to be validated against long-term outcome, e.g., physical function and damage. CONCLUSION: The committee decided to consider both a definition for trials and a modified version for clinical practice. Since the first meeting, the ACR and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) have decided to sponsor this initiative as an official ACR/EULAR collaboration.
OBJECTIVE: Due to advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapies over the last few years, an increasing proportion of patients are able to achieve a state of remission. However, the definition of remission is unclear. Currently, randomized controlled trials around the world use different remission definitions and consequently measure different aspects of a patient's disease state. The need for a uniform definition of remission is vital for research findings to be correctly interpreted. METHODS: The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) constituted a committee that included international clinical researchers, trialists, and clinical epidemiologists in order to redefine remission in RA. This group was asked to study current definitions of remission, explore the theoretical underpinning of the concept of remission, and develop a research agenda that would inform future work in the development of an ACR definition of remission. RESULTS: In its first meeting, the committee preferred to develop a strict definition, implying no or very low disease activity. Such a definition would need to be validated against long-term outcome, e.g., physical function and damage. CONCLUSION: The committee decided to consider both a definition for trials and a modified version for clinical practice. Since the first meeting, the ACR and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) have decided to sponsor this initiative as an official ACR/EULAR collaboration.
Authors: T Möttönen; P Hannonen; M Leirisalo-Repo; M Nissilä; H Kautiainen; M Korpela; L Laasonen; H Julkunen; R Luukkainen; K Vuori; L Paimela; H Blåfield; M Hakala; K Ilva; U Yli-Kerttula; K Puolakka; P Järvinen; M Hakola; H Piirainen; J Ahonen; I Pälvimäki; S Forsberg; K Koota; C Friman Journal: Lancet Date: 1999-05-08 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: George A Wells; Maarten Boers; Beverley Shea; Peter M Brooks; Lee S Simon; C Vibeke Strand; Daniel Aletaha; Jennifer J Anderson; Claire Bombardier; Maxime Dougados; Paul Emery; David T Felson; Jaap Fransen; Dan E Furst; Johanna M W Hazes; Kent R Johnson; John R Kirwan; Robert B M Landewé; Marissa N D Lassere; Kaleb Michaud; Maria Suarez-Almazor; Alan J Silman; Josef S Smolen; Desiree M F M Van der Heijde; Piet L C M van Riel; Fred Wolfe; Peter S Tugwell Journal: J Rheumatol Date: 2005-10 Impact factor: 4.666
Authors: A M van Gestel; J J Anderson; P L van Riel; M Boers; C J Haagsma; B Rich; G Wells; M L Lange; D T Felson Journal: J Rheumatol Date: 1999-03 Impact factor: 4.666
Authors: D van der Heijde; L Klareskog; M Boers; R Landewé; C Codreanu; H D Bolosiu; R Pedersen; S Fatenejad Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2005-04-28 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Ferdinand C Breedveld; Michael H Weisman; Arthur F Kavanaugh; Stanley B Cohen; Karel Pavelka; Ronald van Vollenhoven; John Sharp; John L Perez; George T Spencer-Green Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2006-01
Authors: L H D van Tuyl; W F Lems; A E Voskuyl; P J S M Kerstens; P Garnero; B A C Dijkmans; M Boers Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2008-07-14 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Lilian H D van Tuyl; David T Felson; George Wells; Josef Smolen; Bin Zhang; Maarten Boers Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2010-01-15 Impact factor: 4.794
Authors: Shadi H Shahouri; Kaleb Michaud; Ted R Mikuls; Liron Caplan; Timothy S Shaver; James D Anderson; David N Weidensaul; Ruth E Busch; Shirley Wang; Frederick Wolfe Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2011-11
Authors: Stephanie A Kovalchik; Christina Charles-Schoeman; Dinesh Khanna; Harold E Paulus Journal: Rheumatol Int Date: 2011-07-30 Impact factor: 2.631