A STRUCTURED TRAINING PROGRAM FOR PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TO SELF-MONITOR DISEASE ACTIVITY

Abstract

Objective. To develop a structured training program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to self-monitor disease activity and to assess effectiveness of this program.Material and Methods. The study included 60 patients with definite diagnosis of RA according to the ACR/EULAR 2010 diagnostic criteria (52 females and 8 males, mean age 58.8 ± 10.4 years, the median duration of RA was 5 [2.75; 12] years). Patients were trained using the original method Structured Program of Training Patients with RA to Self-Monitor Disease Activity during the first visit and one month later (second visit). Skill acquisition was controlled by estimating the number of painful (NPJ) and swollen (NSJ) joints in parallel by a physician and the patient during the second visit and 2 months after the first visit (the third visit). Statistical significance was analyzed using the McNemar’s test (differences are considered to be significant when p <0.05).Results. Absolute coincidence of NSJ as assessed in parallel by a physician and the patient was observed in 26 (43%) cases during the second visit and 41 (68%) cases during the third visit (p = 0.018). Results of NPJ assessment by a physician and the patient coincided in 20 (33%) cases during the second visit and 36 (60%) cases during the third visit (p = 0.003).Conclusion. The structured program allows RA patients to correctly determine the painfullness of joints in 60% of cases and joint swelling in 68 % of cases, which is important for self-control of the disease activity.

Keywords

• rheumatoid arthritis
• educational program
• self-control training