Differences between the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the modified HAQ (mHAQ) score before and after infliximab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

We conducted a 1-year prospective study to clarify differences between the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI) and the modified HAQ (mHAQ) score among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with infliximab. A total of 87 patients were scheduled to receive infliximab infusion at a dose of 3 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter for 54 weeks; all patients received a full examination at each infusion appointment. The 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) and functional capability of each patient was assessed at each visit, using the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score. A strong correlation was observed between the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score at baseline (r = 0.892). Over the course of the treatment, the mean mHAQ score changed similarly to the HAQ-DI, but the mean HAQ-DI was significantly higher than the mean mHAQ score at each time-point (for the HAQ-DI vs. mHAQ score, baseline: 1.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.9 +/- 0.6, p < 0.0001; 6 weeks: 1.1 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.5, p < 0.0001; 30 weeks: 1.0 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.5, p < 0.0001; 54 weeks: 0.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 0.6 +/- 0.6, p = 0.0006). In the categories of "eating", "reaching", and "other activities", the scores for several items excluded from the mHAQ score were significantly higher than those included in the mHAQ score over the year-long study period. We identified items contributing to significant differences between the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score among RA patients treated with infliximab.

Cross‐cultural adaptation and validation of the Korean Version of the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA)

“…The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) is a well‐validated scale that is widely used for the assessment of disease‐specific functional capacity of daily activities in patients with arthritis . The modified HAQ (mHAQ), is also frequently used in research as a HAQ substitute.…”

“…The modified HAQ (mHAQ), is also frequently used in research as a HAQ substitute. Its validity has also been proven . Disability, as estimated by mHAQ, includes the following eight categories: dressing, arising, eating, hygiene, walking, reach, grip and outside activity.…”

2019 American College of Rheumatology Recommended Patient‐Reported Functional Status Assessment Measures in Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…Criterion validity evidence was assessed for the M‐HAQ and HAQ‐II (see , available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.24040/abstract). Given the fact that there were multiple studies of fair quality , the M‐HAQ was assigned a moderate level of evidence. The HAQ‐II received a limited evidence level based on a single fair‐quality study .…”

Treating to target matrix metalloproteinase 3 normalisation together with disease activity score below 2.6 yields better effects than each alone in rheumatoid arthritis patients: T-4 Study

“…Articular examination was performed by the same physician for all patients in the R, D and T groups. The Japanese version of the modified health assessment questionnaire (mHAQ) was completed on every visit (0–3, 3 = most functional disability) 25 26…”