Changes at Presentation in Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A 24-Year Study of the Early Undifferentiated Polyarthritis (EUPA) Cohort
Authors' conclusion
Baseline characteristics of patients with RA evolved since 2005 toward less seropositivity and lower blood inflammation but with more comorbidities. Milder erosive damage at baseline became evident only since 2011, mostly in seronegative patients.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with recent-onset polyarthritis fulfilling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) classification criteria, EUPA cohort, over 24 years
- Participants
- 245 / 266 / 329
- Exposure
- 1998-2004 vs 2005-2010 vs 2011-2022 inclusion periods
- 1998-2004n = 245reference
- 2005-2010n = 266
- 2011-2022n = 329
- Outcome
- Changes in baseline characteristics of patients with very early RA
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsconsecutive patients, three successive periods compared
- Consecutive patients
- Three successive periods compared
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Baseline characteristics across the 3 periods
- Active smoking decreased
- 22.2% to 12.1%
- Duration of symptoms increased (median, months)
- 2.9 to 4.1
- Seropositivity decreased, beginning in the 2005-2010 period
- 53.9% to 42.2%
- Erosive status (Sharp/van der Heijde erosion score ≥ 5) decreased, only after 2011, mostly in seronegative patients
- 18.3% to 9.4%
- DMARD use prior to inclusion remained low and stable
- 25.7%
- Oral corticosteroid use increased
- 18% to 33.4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Changes at Presentation in Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis: A 24-Year Study of the Early Undifferentiated Polyarthritis (EUPA) Cohort. J Rheumatol. Published 15 September 2024. doi:10.
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