Statistical study of variation in systemic and articular indexes

Abstract

Serial appraisals of rheumatoid activity by the systemic and articular indexes, performed by seasoned observers on patients who were accustomed to this type of examination, show an interobserver variation no greater than interlaboratory variations in determinations made on stock samples for uric acid, albumin and hemoglobin. However, the variation found when medical students examined new patients was considerably higher. Interobserver variation was not significantly greater than intraobserver variation. The precision and sensitivity of the various items composing the indexes are compared.Evalutationes serial del activitate rheumatoide a base del indices generalisate e articular, executate per experte observatores in patientes accostumate a iste type de examine, monstra un variation inter le observatores non plus grande que le variation inter laboratorios in le caso de determinationes a base de specimens standard pro acido uric, albumina, e hemoglobina. Tamen, le variation trovate quando studentes de medicina examinava nove patientes esseva considerabilemente plus alte. Le variation inter observatores non esseva significativemente plus grande que le variation intra le corpore de observationes del mesme observator. Es comparate le precision e le sensibilitate del varie componentes in le indices. METHOD FOR EVALUATING the inflammatory activity of rheuma-

A controlled study of concurrent therapy with a nonacetylated salicylate and naproxen in rheumatoid arthritis

“…This difference is less than the usual coefficients of variation of the measures rheumatologists use to assess response. Thus, for example, the coefficient of variation for morning stiffness was >loo%, that for joint tenderness count was 27%, and that for a combined index was 13% (23). While CMT-N was statistically more effective than some of the other regimens, it is not significantly more effective clinically.…”

Measuring fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review of scales in use

“…The National Institutes of Health Activity Record was developed to measure outcomes of an energy conservation program and was reported as having no standard scoring system and did not show sensitivity to change (30, 41). The time to onset of fatigue question showed that fatigue did not improve in an NSAID trial, but little information on construct or criterion validity could be found (42, 43).…”

Integration of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Toxicokinetics in Rational Drug Development

“…The measures of rheumatoid disease which are clinically in use today include: an addition of the number of tender joints, a summation of the number of swollen joints, the time necessary to walk 50 feet, visual analog scales of disease activity and patient pain, grip strength, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and questionnaires measuring the abil ity to carry on activities of daily living. (Lansbury, Baier and McCracken, 1962;Smythe and Buchanan, 1988). These measures vary spontaneously and are subject to major measurement error, ~ (see Table 1) (Furst, 1988).…”