Only a limited number of the identified instruments for the assessment of impairments is both reliable and valid .
The objective of this study is to provide a critical overview of available instruments to assess impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders , and to recommend reliable and valid instruments for use in allied health care and rehabilitation medicine .
The assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis using a multivariate analysis.
A simple method of assessing ' index of disease activity ' ( IDA ) in rheumatoid arthritis ( RA ) using a multivariate analysis ( MVA ) comprising morning stiffness ( MS ) , pain scale ( PS ) , grip strength ( GS ) , articular index ( AI ) , haemoglobin ( Hb ) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( ESR ) is described . The IDA of 99 patients with RA was assessed using MVA . The method could be used reliably and readily for r and om or longitudinal assessment , in drug trials and for comparing disease activity with other objective indices
Only a limited number of the identified instruments for the assessment of impairments is both reliable and valid .
The objective of this study is to provide a critical overview of available instruments to assess impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders , and to recommend reliable and valid instruments for use in allied health care and rehabilitation medicine .