Clinimetric criteria of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease, mainly poli-artycular, among wide-spread chronic inflammatory diseases, that cause pain, functional limitation, damage and joints deformations, and disability. It is characterized by turns of active inflammation and remission phases. Inflammation degree and persistence are associated to a bad functional prognosis and progressive joint disability. These patients management require a continuous valuation of inflammatory activity index of disease both therapeutic management and to prevent disablement process. We focus on many valuation index of joint disability and functional damage. Very important are both the scales of auto-values concerning the pain and the joint swelling and clinical data get by physician to valuate activity index of disease as defined by DAS28. Significant data come by health-related quality of life, disability and by AIMS2 (Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale). (C) 2012 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.