NOR-DMARD
The Norwegian register for antirheumatic drugs
Project Manager
Post doc
PhD fellow
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The treatment we offer patients with inflammatory joint diseases is based on large clinical studies in which one type of treatment is compared with another. However, these studies do not give us the full picture of how the patients are doing, and cannot answer all the questions we have about how we should execute treatment and follow-up. Observational studies can describe the course of the disease in the patients as it is when they are followed in normal follow-up at the hospital, and can answer issues that are not suitable for large clinical studies.
NOR-DMARD is an observational study of patients with inflammatory joint diseases who are treated with biological drugs in normal clinical practice. The study has been ongoing since 2000 and is now following patients in Oslo, Lillehammer, Tromsø and Førde. One of the strengths of NOR-DMARD is that the patients are set up for regular check-ups according to a set plan, so that all patients will initially have the same check-up schedule.
The study has undergone two phases. From 2000 to 2012, both patients on synthetic DMARDs (such as methotrexate) and biological medicines were included, while from 2012 only patients on biological treatment (possibly together with methotrexate or other synthetic DMARDs) have been included. In the last phase, there has been purely electronic data collection.
WHO CAN JOIN?
All patients who start treatment with current drugs for inflammatory joint disease at the rheumatology department at Diakonhjemmet, Tromsø, Lillehammer or Førde.
Patients are recruited as part of clinical practice.
WHAT DOES THE STUDY INCLUDE?
The patients are followed in a fixed check-up schedule with checks at the start of treatment and then after 3, 6 and 12 months before they switch to annual checks. At the checks, they answer several questionnaires, are examined by a doctor or nurse and take blood samples.