OMERACT conference on outcome measures in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials: introduction

No abstract available

Aim

This conference addresses the ongoing challenge of improving the accuracy and responsiveness to change of clinically relevant (to patient and clinician) endpoints.

Contributors

Tugwell, P. Boers, M.

Publication

Journal: Journal of Rheumatology
Volume: 20
Issue: 3
Pages: 528 - 30
Year: 1993
DOI: None

Further Study Information

Current Stage: Not Applicable
Date: 2002
Funding source(s): None stated


Health Area

Disease Category: Rheumatology

Disease Name: Rheumatoid arthritis

Target Population

Age Range: Unknown

Sex: Either

Nature of Intervention: Any

Stakeholders Involved

Study Type

- COS for clinical trials or clinical research

Method(s)

- Semi structured discussion

The OMERACT conference was planned with 3 goals:
(1) To attempt to obtain agreement on the minimum number of outcome measures to be included in all RA clinical trials. This was implemented by a preconference questionnaire, presentation of the evidence on their validity, both small group and plenary discussions on their performance in trials and in individual patients, and then by voting using an electronic voting procedure.
(2) To review the range of magnitude of differences judged to be clinically important by experienced clinicians and clinical investigators. This was implemented by a baseline questionnaire and rank ordering of a series of clinical trials and individual patient scenarios, using a nominal group technique.
(3) To review the extent to which experienced clinicians and clinical investigators feel that aggregate measures (indices) are useful in the assessment of trials and individual patients. This was implemented by presentation of the concepts behind a variety of examples of indices, by questionnaire and a scenario ranking exercise incorporating the results of 3 indices.

Methods further described elsewhere- see:
Fried, B. J., M. Boers, et al. (1993). "A method for achieving consensus on rheumatoid arthritis outcome measures: the OMERACT conference process." Journal of Rheumatology 20(3): 548-51.

Stakeholders detailed in: Boers, M., P. Tugwell, et al. (1994). "World Health Organization and International League of Associations for Rheumatology core endpoints for symptom modifying antirheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials." Journal of Rheumatology - Supplement 41: 86-9.