Journal List > J Rheum Dis > v.25(4) > 1102073

Paek, Jung, Lee, Kwok, Kim, Park, Ju, and Sohng: Effects of Individual Education Using a Treating-to-target Strategy in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Objective

To examine effects of an individual education program using the treating rheumatoid arthritis to target (RA T2T) strategy in patients with moderate-severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods

Patients were assigned randomly to an educational intervention (n=33) or conventional care group (n=33). The intervention was a nurse-delivered 9-month educational program consisting of 3 monthly sessions and monthly telephone counseling. The assessments occurred at the baseline and every 3 months in both groups, but only the intervention group completed the 9-month education follow-up. The outcome variables included the disease activity (DAS28), functional disability (KHAQ), fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue), and quality of life (SF-36). Repeated measures ANOVA and a Bonferroni multiple comparison were used to evaluate the outcome variables comparing the groups and follow-up times.

Results

Significant interactions were observed between the groups and follow-up times in the disease activity (p=0.041), fatigue (p=0.042), and physical (p=0.006) and mental (p=0.031) health-related quality of life, but there was no significant interaction in the functional disability (p=0.110). Significant differences were noted between the groups at the 9-month period (p=0.048) in disease activity and fatigue, and at the 6-month (p=0.023) and 9-month periods (p=0.027) in the physical health-related quality of life.

Conclusion

This education program using the RA T2T strategy had significant benefits on the disease activity, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, and the results suggested that this contributed to positive clinical outcomes as a good practical nursing intervention.

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Figure 1.
Mean scores on (A) disease activity, (B) functional disability, (C) fatigue. DAS28: disease activity score in 28 joints, KHAQ: Korean health assessment questionnaire, FACIT-F: functional assessment of chronic illness ther-apy-fatigue scale. Data are presented as mean±standard error. *p-value by repeated measures ANOVA. p=0.048, Bonferroni corrected significance.
jrd-25-255f1.tif
Figure 2.
Mean scores on (A) physical component summary, (B) mental component summary. Data are presented as mean±standard error. *p-value by repeated measures ANOVA. p=0.023, p=0.027, Bonferroni corrected significance.
jrd-25-255f2.tif
Table 1.
Education program using RA T2T strategy
Time Theme Contents Duration/session
Baseline Orientation & overview of RA Introduce overall program and instructor. Inform about general knowledge of RA, comorbid condition and treat to target strategy. 40 min
    Check and record the present point of DAS28 score and goal setting.  
    Inform about monthly telephone counseling.  
After 3 months Education sharing experiences check Inform about pharmacological treatment, their benefits and risks. Share these experiences about administration of medication. 30 min
  DAS28 goal setting Explain the present point of laboratory test results, check and record DAS28 score and goal setting. Inform about monthly telephone counseling.  
After 6 months Education sharing experiences check Inform about physical activity, exercise and joint protection and share these experiences. 30 min
  DAS28 goal setting Explain the present point of laboratory test results, check and record  
    DAS28 score and goal setting.  
    Inform about monthly telephone counseling.  
After 9 months Education sharing experiences check Inform about nutrition care related the disease and share these experiences. 40 min
  DAS28 integrate and encouraging T2T Explain the present point of laboratory test results, record DAS28 score and goal setting.  
    Encourage patients to practice treat to target strategy continuously.  

RA T2T: treating rheumatoid arthritis to target, DAS28: disease activity score in 28 joints.

Table 2.
Baseline characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Characteristics Experimental group (n=33) Control group (n=33) t or χ2 p-value
Age (yr) 45.88±11.66 46.48±12.74 −0.20 0.841
Gender     * 0.999
Female 30 (90.91) 29 (87.88)    
Male 3 (9.09) 4 (12.12)    
Educational level     0.00 0.999
≤ High school 14 (42.42) 15 (45.45)    
≥ College 19 (57.58) 18 (54.55)    
Job     0.00 0.999
Yes 19 (57.58) 18 (54.55)    
No 14 (42.42) 15 (45.45)    
Regular exercise     1.07 0.302
Yes 9 (27.27) 14 (42.42)    
No 24 (72.73) 19 (57.58)    
Height (cm) 160.58±6.29 160.48±5.76 0.06 0.951
Weight (kg) 56.76±10.80 59.18±12.12 −0.86 0.394
Disease duration (mo) Methotrexate use 57.36±72.21 59.67±75.79 −0.13 * 0.900 0.999
Yes 31 (93.94) 31 (93.94)    
No 2 (6.06) 2 (6.06)    
Steroid use     * 0.258
Yes 31 (93.94) 27 (81.82))    
No Rheumatoid factor 2 (6.06) 6 (18.18) * 0.999
Positive 33 (100) 32 (96.97)    
Negative 0 (0) 1 (3.03)    
ESR (mm/h) 42.00±15.97 40.76±19.60 0.28 0.779
DAS28 (score) 4.61±0.83 4.53±1.06 0.36 0.723
KHAQ (score) 0.70±0.56 0.76±0.63 −0.39 0.701
FACIT-F (score) 32.42±12.32 33.03±10.07 −0.22 0.828
Quality of life (SF-36 score)        
Physical component summ mary 38.21±7.26 39.04±7.86 −0.44 0.658
Mental component summ mary 44.35±9.23 46.18±11.72 −0.71 0.483

Values are presented as mean±standard deviation or number (%). ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, DAS28: disease activity score in 28 joints, KHAQ: Korean health assessment questionnaire, FACIT-F: functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue scale, SF-36: short form-36.

* Fisher's exact test.

Table 3.
Remission achievement rate by the time point
Time Remission achievement Experimental group (n=33) Control group (n=33) χ2 p-value
3 months Yes 8 (24.24) 1 (3.03) * 0.027
  No 25 (75.76) 32 (96.97)    
6 months Yes 14 (42.42) 4 (12.12) 6.19 0.013
  No 19 (57.58) 29 (87.88)    
9 months Yes 15 (45.45) 7 (21.21) 3.34 0.068
  No 18 (54.55) 26 (78.79)    

Values are presented as number (%).

* Fisher's exact test.

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