Prognostic Factors for Sustained Remission in a “Real Life” Cohort of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Abstract

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most frequent chronic polyarthritis. The current goal of RA treatment is to achieve clinical remission. Objective The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of remission in a cohort of patients from clinical practice, and to identify potentially modifiable factors associated with remission. Methods A retrospective study was performed on a cohort of RA patients seen at the first consultation at the HUGC Rheumatology Service Dr. Negrín (HUGCDN) between first of January 2000 and thirtieth of April 2014. Sustained remission was defined as DAS28 less than 2.6 in the last two available visits in the medical history. Results A total of 463 patients were consecutively included, most (75%) women, with a mean age at the onset of RA of 50 years and a mean duration of the disease at follow-up of 8 years. 46% of the patients achieved sustained remission. Multiple logistic regression analyses found male sex (P=.031, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.05–2.82), diagnosis in the first year of symptoms (P=.023, OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.07–2.69) and the initial DAS28 (P=.035) to be independent predictors for sustained remission. Conclusions The 46% of the patients with RA followed in the HUGC Dr. Negrín are in persistent remission, being the early diagnosis a modifiable factor predictor of remission. Thus, an objective of the Rheumatology Service should be to improve the diagnostic delay of RA in the health area.