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Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Han, C; Smolen, J; Kavanaugh, A; St Clair, EW; Baker, D; Bala, M
Published in: Arthritis Rheum
April 15, 2008

OBJECTIVE: To compare employability between patients with early and long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and examine the relationships between improvement in employability and disease stage after adjustment for demographic characteristics, disease activity, physical functioning, and response to therapy. METHODS: We evaluated the employability data from 2 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of infliximab plus methotrexate (MTX) in patients with RA. Patients were incomplete responders to MTX in 1 study and had never taken MTX in the other study. Patients age <65 years were categorized as having early RA (< or =3 years disease duration) or long-standing RA (>3 years disease duration). Physical functioning was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and clinical response was determined based on the American College of Rheumatology 20% improvement criteria (ACR20). RESULTS: Patients with early RA were more likely to be employable at baseline than those with long-standing RA, even after adjusting for baseline HAQ scores. Among patients who were not employable at baseline but achieved an ACR20 response after 1 year of treatment, after adjusting for baseline HAQ score, the patients with early RA who had never taken MTX were 3 times more likely to become employable compared with those with long-standing RA who had an incomplete response to MTX at baseline. CONCLUSION: In 2 clinical trials, patients with early RA were more likely to show improved employment outcomes after treatment than those with long-standing RA, suggesting intervention as early as possible in the disease course maximizes an individual patient's employment potential.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Arthritis Rheum

DOI

ISSN

0004-3591

Publication Date

April 15, 2008

Volume

59

Issue

4

Start / End Page

510 / 514

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Work
  • Time Factors
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid
  • Arthritis & Rheumatology
 

Citation

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Han, C., Smolen, J., Kavanaugh, A., St Clair, E. W., Baker, D., & Bala, M. (2008). Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum, 59(4), 510–514. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.23541
Han, Chenglong, Josef Smolen, Arthur Kavanaugh, E William St Clair, Daniel Baker, and Mohan Bala. “Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheum 59, no. 4 (April 15, 2008): 510–14. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.23541.
Han C, Smolen J, Kavanaugh A, St Clair EW, Baker D, Bala M. Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Apr 15;59(4):510–4.
Han, Chenglong, et al. “Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheum, vol. 59, no. 4, Apr. 2008, pp. 510–14. Pubmed, doi:10.1002/art.23541.
Han C, Smolen J, Kavanaugh A, St Clair EW, Baker D, Bala M. Comparison of employability outcomes among patients with early or long-standing rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 2008 Apr 15;59(4):510–514.
Journal cover image

Published In

Arthritis Rheum

DOI

ISSN

0004-3591

Publication Date

April 15, 2008

Volume

59

Issue

4

Start / End Page

510 / 514

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Work
  • Time Factors
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Disability Evaluation
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid
  • Arthritis & Rheumatology