J Rheumatol
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Clinical Trial
Preliminary evaluation of a visual analog function scale for use in rheumatoid arthritis.
Key outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are evaluated with multi-item ratings scales such as the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and visual analog scales (VAS) such as pain and patient and physician global. As VAS scales are easy to use and particularly effective in research and patient care, we studied the characteristics, association, and psychometric properties of a VAS function scale (VAS-F) to determine if it could be used in RA studies and clinical practice. ⋯ The distribution differences between HAQ and HAQ-II and the VAS-F suggest that patients do not see minor limitations as problematic, but rate major limitations as being particularly limiting and worthy of high ratings. A VAS functional scale represents a patient-weighted functional assessment in which additional interpretation is given to the meaning of the limitations by the patient. VAS-F scales may be suitable for use in the clinic and in research. However, studies to assess sensitivity to change are required to determine the appropriate role of this scale.
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To investigate whether chronic widespread pain predicts illness seen in general practice in a 3 year followup period. ⋯ People who report chronic widespread pain subsequently consult more frequently about non-MSK and MSK problems than people with no pain, and this is not explained by psychological distress. The overall impact on healthcare use is substantial. Our study provides more evidence for overlap and links between morbidities that may be part of a larger pathological or somatization syndrome.
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To determine whether it is possible to specify different score patterns for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), and to identify the degree of responsiveness and the validity of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) factors, which are alternative health dimensions obtained by factor analysis of the WOMAC items. ⋯ The WOMAC factors are valid measures. Analyzing the WOMAC by the WOMAC factors facilitates and improves the differential relevance and accuracy of the WOMAC for specific conditions such as hip and knee OA.