Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between disease-related factors and
walking disability in different phases of rheumatoid arthritis; and to predict
future walking disability in rheumatoid arthritis, using disease-related factors
assessed 2 years after diagnosis. METHODS: A cohort of 848 newly diagnosed
patients with rheumatoid arthritis was followed up for a maximum of 8 years.
Walking disability and several disease-related and demographic factors were
recorded during follow-up. A logistic regression model was used to study
associations between walking disability and these factors at different time
points. A multilevel logistic regression model for longitudinal data was used to
predict walking disability during follow-up from potential predictors at year 2.
RESULTS: Global pain and disease activity were consistently related to walking
disability at almost every time point. Significant predictors of future walking
disability were: walking disability, knee pain, global pain, the passage of time
during follow-up, and age. CONCLUSION: Global pain and disease activity are
related to walking disability during the first 8 years of RA. Walking disability,
knee pain, and global pain at 2 years follow-up predict walking disability later
in the disease. In addition, the risk for walking disability increases during the
disease process and with higher age at diagnosis.

Langue : ANGLAIS