COMPARISON AND EVALUATION OF A DISEASE ACTIVITY INDEX FOR USE IN PATIENTS WITH RHUEMATIOD ARTHRITIS

An algorithm (Stoke index) has been designed to give a global measure of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. This algorithm has been created as an easy to use flow diagram based on two objective laboratory measures (C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), one subjective and two semi-objective clinical measures (morning stiffness, synovitis score and Ritchie articular index). Results of six clinical markers and seven laboratory markers of disease activity on a cohort of 371 rheumatoid patients have been used to evaluate the algorithm and compare it with a previously described index of disease activity (Mallya-Mace index).