Original Articles

You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups. XI. Sources of discrepancy in perception of disease activity: A comparison of physician and patient visual analog scale scores†

  1. Graciela S. Alarcón1,*,
  2. Gerald McGwin Jr1,
  3. Kemi Brooks1,
  4. Jeffrey M. Roseman1,
  5. Barri J. Fessler1,
  6. Martha L. Sanchez1,
  7. Holly M. Bastian1,
  8. Alan W. Friedman2,
  9. Bruce A. Baethge3,
  10. John D. Reveille2,
  11. LUMINA STUDY GROUP

Article first published online: 12 AUG 2002

DOI: 10.1002/art.10512

Issue

Arthritis Care & Research

Arthritis Care & Research

Volume 47, Issue 4, pages 408–413, 15 August 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Alarcón, G. S., McGwin, G., Brooks, K., Roseman, J. M., Fessler, B. J., Sanchez, M. L., Bastian, H. M., Friedman, A. W., Baethge, B. A., Reveille, J. D. and LUMINA STUDY GROUP (2002), Systemic lupus erythematosus in three ethnic groups. XI. Sources of discrepancy in perception of disease activity: A comparison of physician and patient visual analog scale scores. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 47: 408–413. doi: 10.1002/art.10512

Author Information

  1. 1

    Schools of Medicine and Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham

  2. 2

    School of Medicine, University of Texas–Houston Health Science Center

  3. 3

    School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

*615 MEB, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294

  1. †

    See acknowledgments for members of the LUMINA Study Group

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 AUG 2002
  2. Article first published online: 12 AUG 2002
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 24 OCT 2001
  4. Manuscript Received: 1 JUN 2001

Funded by

  • NIH, Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Grant Number: R01-AR-42503
  • General Clinical Center Research Grants. Grant Numbers: M01-RR-02558, M01-RR-00073, M01-RR-00032

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (182K)

Keywords:

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus;
  • Disease activity;
  • Visual analog scale;
  • Ethnicity;
  • Assessment

Abstract

Objective

To compare patient's and physician's assessment of disease activity in a multiethnic (Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian) cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods

Three hundred patients with SLE from the LUMINA (Lupus in Minority populations: Nature versus nurture) cohort were included. Disease activity was assessed with the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM); patients and physicians assessed disease activity using a 10-cm anchored visual analog scale (VAS). The difference between VAS scores was termed discrepancy (>1 cm was considered a priori clinically relevant). Selected sociodemographic, clinical, behavioral, and psychological variables were examined in relation to discrepancy in univariable and multivariable models adjusting for the physician global VAS score in order to eliminate ceiling and floor effects.

Results

A discrepancy was exhibited by 58% of the patients. Abnormal laboratory findings were negatively associated with discrepancy, and poor self-perceived functioning and joint involvement were positively associated with discrepancy. Ethnicity did not account for discrepant perception of disease activity.

Conclusion

Patients and physicians rate disease activity in SLE differently. Physicians appear to place more emphasis on laboratory features while patients place more emphasis on function.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (182K)