1. Quality indicators for systemic lupus erythematosus based on the 2019 EULAR recommendations: development and initial validation in a cohort of 220 patients.
- Author
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Chavatza K, Kostopoulou M, Nikolopoulos D, Gioti O, Togia K, Andreoli L, Aringer M, Boletis J, Doria A, Houssiau FA, Jayne D, Mosca M, Svenungsson E, Tincani A, Bertsias G, Fanouriakis A, and Boumpas DT
- Subjects
- Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors therapeutic use, Antirheumatic Agents administration & dosage, Aspirin therapeutic use, Drug Tapering, Europe, Female, Glucocorticoids administration & dosage, Guideline Adherence statistics & numerical data, Hospitalization statistics & numerical data, Humans, Hydroxychloroquine administration & dosage, Immunosuppressive Agents therapeutic use, Kidney pathology, Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic diagnosis, Lupus Nephritis diagnosis, Lupus Nephritis therapy, Male, Mass Screening, Osteoporosis diagnosis, Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors therapeutic use, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Pre-Eclampsia prevention & control, Prednisone administration & dosage, Pregnancy, Remission Induction, Reproducibility of Results, Risk Assessment, Societies, Medical, Symptom Flare Up, Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic therapy, Quality Indicators, Health Care
- Abstract
Background: Quality of care is receiving increased attention in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We developed quality indicators (QIs) for SLE based on the 2019 update of European League Against Rheumatism recommendations., Methods: A total of 44 candidate QIs corresponding to diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, were independently rated for validity and feasibility by 12 experts and analysed by a modified Research and Development Corporation/University of California Los Angeles model. Adherence to the final set of QIs and correlation with disease outcomes (flares, hospitalisations and organ damage) was tested in a cohort of 220 SLE patients with a median monitoring of 2 years (IQR 2-4)., Results: The panel selected a total of 18 QIs as valid and feasible. On average, SLE patients received 54% (95% CI 52.3% to 56.2%) of recommended care, with adherence ranging from 44.7% (95% CI 40.8% to 48.6%) for diagnosis-related QIs to 84.3% (95% CI 80.6% to 87.5%) for treatment-related QIs. Sustained remission or low disease activity were achieved in 26.8% (95% CI 21.1% to 33.2%). Tapering of prednisone dose to less than 7.5 mg/day was achieved in 93.6% (95% CI 88.2% to 97.0%) while 73.5% (95% CI 66.6% to 79.6%) received the recommended hydroxychloroquine dose. Higher adherence to monitoring-related QIs was associated with reduced risk for a composite adverse outcome (flare, hospitalisation or damage accrual) during the last year of observation (OR 0.97 per 1% adherence rate, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99)., Conclusion: We developed QIs for assessing and improving the care of SLE patients. Initial real-life data suggest face validity, but a variable degree of adherence and a need for further improvement., Competing Interests: Competing interests: DTB is an Editorial Board member in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. The remaining authors declare no competing interests relevant to this work., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2021
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