Holten K, Sundlisater NP, Lillegraven S, et al. - The results showed that in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fatigue was prevalent at disease onset, with a rapid and sustained reduction during treatment. It was shown that the low objective disease activity and high patient global assessment (PGA) at baseline were predictors of clinically relevant fatigue at 24 months.

• Researchers recruited a total of 205 patients with fatigue data at baseline and 24 months.

• In this study, the median (25th, 75th percentiles) symptom duration was 5.4 months (2.8, 10.4), fatigue VAS 37.0 mm (13.0, 62.0), and mean Disease Activity Score (DAS) 3.4 (SD 1.1) at baseline.

• There was a reduction in the prevalence of fatigue from 69% at baseline to 38% at 24 months.

• The risk of clinically relevant fatigue was increased by fewer swollen joints (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98, p=0.006), lower power Doppler ultrasound score (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.99, p=0.027), and higher patient global assessment (PGA) (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.04, p<0.001) at 24 months.

• The findings revealed that not achieving remission at 6 months was correlated with a higher risk of reporting fatigue at 24 months.