Recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis: a 1-year observational study of correlations between health-related quality of life and clinical/laboratory data

OBJECTIVE: To analyse correlations within and between clinical/laboratory assessments and health-related quality of life variables for recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis at the time of diagnosis and 12 months later. METHODS: A total of 297 patients with recent-onset (< or =12 months) rheumatoid arthritis were included at diagnosis and followed up for 12 months. Clinical/laboratory assessment was performed by erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, 28-joint count of tender/swollen joints, physician's global assessment, grip force, grip ability, functional impairment and walking speed. The self-reported health-related quality of life included symptoms (pain, morning stiffness), patients estimated general health, Health Assessment Questionnaire and SF-36. RESULTS: All tested variables improved within 6 months of diagnosis and then remained stable but still affected at the 12-month follow-up. Multivariate correlations between clinical/laboratory variables and health-related quality of life were weak. At inclusion, clinical/laboratory assessments explained 18% of health-related quality of life at the same time-point and predicted 7% of the variation in health-related quality of life after 12 months. CONCLUSION: The time-course followed similar patterns for most variables, but only a small part of the variation in health-related quality of life was explained or predicted by the clinical/laboratory variables. This implies that health-related quality of life adds important information to clinical/laboratory assessments in clinical practice and should be considered in goal setting together with clinical/laboratory assessment in order to optimize healthcare and outcome.