A Study of RoActemra/Actemra (Tocilizumab) in Combination With DMARDs Versus Current Best Practice DMARD Therapy in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

The DAS28 is a combined index for measuring disease activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The index includes swollen and tender joint counts (SJC and TJC), acute phase response, and general health status. For this study Erythrocyte sedimentation Rate (ESR) was to be used to calculate DAS28 score. The DAS28, which uses a 28 joint count, is derived from the original DAS which includes a 44 swollen joint count. The DAS28 has been validated in RA. The index is calculated using the following formula: DAS28 equals (=) 0.56 times (×) square root of √(TJC) plus (+) 0.28 × √(SJC) + 0.70 × ln(ESR) + 0.014 × GH Where, TJC28 = tender joint count on 28 joints, SJC28 = swollen joint count on 28 joints, ln = natural log, ESR measured as millimeters per hour (mm/hr), and GH = general health, which is participant's global assessment of disease activity (100-mm Visual Analog Scale [VAS]). DAS28 less than/equal to (≤) 2.6 defined remission.

Work productivity measures include absence from work (participant reported and registries), permanent work disability (pension, participant reported and registries), presenteeism (Quantity and Quality instrument, QQ).

The DAS28 is a combined index for measuring disease activity in RA. The index includes SJC and TJC, acute phase response, and general health status. For this study ESR was to be used to calculate DAS28 score. The DAS28, which uses a 28 joint count, is derived from the original DAS which includes a 44 swollen joint count. The DAS28 has been validated in RA. The index is calculated using the following formula: DAS28 = 0.56 × √(TJC) + 0.28 × √(SJC) + 0.70 × ln(ESR) + 0.014 × GH Where, TJC28 = tender joint count on 28 joints, SJC28 = swollen joint count on 28 joints, ln = natural log, ESR measured as millimeters per hour (mm/hr), and GH = general health, which is participant's global assessment of disease activity (100-mm VAS). DAS28 ≤ 2.6 defined remission.

The ACR definition of response includes tender and swollen joint counts, VAS scales for pain, participant and investigator global assessment of disease activity, participant-assessed disability using Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and acute phase response.

The CDAI is a purely clinical index to measure disease activity. The index includes swollen and tender joint counts, participant global assessment of disease activity, and evaluator global assessment of disease activity (EGA).

The FACIT-Fatigue score was calculated according to a 13-item questionnaire that assesses self-reported fatigue and its impact upon daily activities and function. FACIT-F is a 13-item questionnaire. Participants scored each item on a 5-point scale: 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Very much). The larger the participant's response to the questions (with the exception of 2 negatively stated), the greater the participants fatigue. For all questions, except for the 2 negatively stated ones, the code was reversed and a new score was calculated as (4 minus the participant's response). The sum of all responses resulted in the FACIT-Fatigue score for a total possible score of 0 (worse score) to 52 (better score). Clinically relevant improvement is defined as a ≥5-point change from Baseline.

EQ-5D is a participant rated questionnaire to assess health-related quality of life in terms of a single utility score. Health State Profile component assesses level of current health for 5 domains: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain and discomfort, and anxiety and depression; 1 indicates better health state (no problems); 3 indicates worst health state (confined to bed). Scoring formula developed by EuroQoL Group assigns a utility value for each domain in the profile. Score is transformed and results in a total score range -0.594 to 1.000; higher score indicates a better health state.

HAQ-DI includes 20 questions concerning participant's activities of daily life, grouped in 8 scales of 2 to 3 questions for each activity. To respond to each question, a four-level response (score of 0 to 3 points), with higher scores showing larger functional limitations, was chosen. Overall score was computed as the sum of the domain scores and divided by the number of domains answered. Total possible score range was 0-3 where 0=without difficulties; 1= with some difficulties; 2=with great difficulties; and 3=unable to perform these actions at all.