IMPACT OF SELF-CONTROL SKILL TEACHING ON THE EFFICIENCY OF TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program for teaching self-control skills for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Subjects and methods. Examinations were made in 85 patients: 38 of them underwent a training program for mastering self-control skills; 47 patients constituted a control group. The serum levels of rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and DAS28 were determined at baseline and after 2 months.Results and discussion. After training in self-control skills, the study group showed a significant reduction of DAS28 on an average from 5.2±4.9 to 3.2±3.0 and in the number of tender and swollen joints, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and the levels of CRP, RF, and anti-CCP antibodies. At the same time, the level of hemoglobin, the number of red and white blood cells did not change substantially. There was a decrease in ESR and CRP levels in the control group.Conclusion. Teaching the patients in self-control methods can reduce the activity of the inflammatory process.

Keywords

• rheumatoid arthritis
• educational program
• patient training