Clinical and laboratory assessment of outcome in rheumatoid arthritis.

The management of rheumatoid arthritis would be assisted by an ability to assess prognosis in the individual patient. A number of studies have investigated the role of various clinical and laboratory measurements as predictors of prognosis, but all are hindered by the lack of adequate measures of outcome. Age, sex, initial radiograph and functional grades, the presence of rheumatoid factor or nodules may all be useful indicators. Mode of onset may have a bearing on outcome. The relationship between these variables and the clinical and biochemical assessment of disease activity is discussed in relation to prognosis.