To examine in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) whether quality of life (QoL), independently of disease activity, is affected by tight control treatment strategy schemes.
In the Computer Assisted Management in Early RA (CAMERA) trials, patients with early RA, disease duration <1 year, no prior use of DMARDs) had been randomised to a methotrexate (MTX)-based tight control strategy or usual care (CAMERA study) or to 10 mg/d prednisone or placebo both added from start to a MTX-based tight control strategy (CAMERA-II study). In either study, randomisation to the more intensive strategy resulted in lower disease activity. To assess QoL, the 'Influence of Rheumatic Diseases on General Health and Lifestyle' questionnaire (IRGL) was used. Baseline and 1- and/or 2-year measurements were analysed with regression analyses with the IRGL (sub)scales as outcome variables and treatment strategy and disease activity assessing 28 joints (DAS28) as independent variables, correcting for baseline values of each scale and possible confounders (gender, age, rheumatoid factor status).
There was no clear association between either of the treatment strategies and QoL, but a decrease in DAS28 was associated with improvement in the majority of QoL (sub)scales.
No independent effect of the specific tight control strategies schemes on QoL was found, while there was a clear disease activity related effect. Thus frequent outpatient visits or the inclusion of prednisone in a tight control strategy did not negatively influence QoL.