Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that cannot be completely cured, but can be alleviated. In selecting the most effective therapy, it is helpful to calculate the value of the disease activity index - DAS28. A very simple calculator is available for this.
One way to control ifrheumatoid arthritis( RA ) is progressing is to calculateDisease Activity Score -DAS28 . It is important that the rheumatologist carries out such an examination at each patient visit.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease, the treatment of which is aimed at stopping its progression, reducing ailments and symptoms, and consequently bringing the disease into remission. In the light of current medical knowledge, it is known that it is impossible to cure this disease completely, but thanks to the use of modern therapies, it is possible to significantly improve the he alth of patients.
Treatment of RA must be comprehensive: pharmacological, rehabilitation, psychological, orthopedic. In addition to the constant care of a rheumatologist, it is particularly important to regularly assess the disease activity in order to check whether the treatment used so far is effective.
Rheumatoid arthritis: DAS28 indicator
The DAS28 indicator was developed in the Netherlands in the 1980s. Over the years, it has been recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) for assessing disease activity in people with rheumatoid arthritis. DAS28 allows to determine the current condition of the patient and answers the question whether it is necessary to change the treatment used so far.
The latest American and European recommendations suggest that CDAI and SDAI should be used to determine disease activity in RA. The DAS28 remains, of course, but that's not a completely good indicator. If compared with other disease activity indicators - CDAI and SDAI disease activity indicators - it may too often indicate remission in a patient, although it is not confirmed by other indicators.
A special calculator can be found on the website for this purpose. All you need to do is enter the following data in the right places:
- number of painful and swollen joints
- assessment of well-being with a scaleVAS (0-100)
- OB or CRP value.
A score of 28 joints (14 on the left and 14 on the right side of the body) is needed to calculate the DAS value. The hand, wrist, shoulder, elbow and knee joints are taken into account.
After entering all the data, the result will appear, which shows the activity of the disease. It can be small, moderate or large. In a situation where DAS28 indicates one of the last two results, the information appears that the patient should consult a rheumatologist as soon as possible. This may mean that your current treatment is ineffective and needs to be changed.
ImportantA sign of low disease activity is a low DAS28 rate. If the value is below 2.6, the disease is said to be in remission. The higher the DAS28 index, the greater the disease activity. A value above 5.1 indicates high disease activity.
The page also allows you to save the performed calculations. This allows patients to systematically monitor rheumatoid arthritis and consult the results with a doctor. Regularly calculating the DAS28 score is very important in controlling disease activity, as incorrect treatment can lead to rapidly progressive disability and even premature death.