Description

The National Cooperative Crohn's Disease Study Group developed an activity index to monitor patient's with Crohn's disease. From an initial group of 18 variables, 8 were selected to be included in the index.


 

Parameter

raw coefficient

standardized coefficient

rounded coefficient

stools

0.0246

1.95

3

pain

0.0648

5.14

5

well-being

0.0907

7.29

7

symptoms

0.2809

22.27

20

lomotil

0.4516

35.80

30

abdominal mass

0.6568

52.08

50

hematocrit

0.0798

6.33

6

body weight

0.0126

1.00

1

Table 3, page 442

 

Patient Instructions: For the 7 days prior to the next clinic visit, record the following each day prior to going to bed:

(1) the number of liquid or very soft stools per day

(2) the level of abdominal pain (none, mild, moderate, severe)

(3) the general well-being felt that day (generally well, slightly under par, poor, very poor, terrible)

 

Parameter

Finding

Points

number of liquid or very soft stools

total number of daily stools for 7 days

(total number) * 2

abdominal pain

sum of daily abdominal pain scores

• none = 0

• mild = 1

• moderate = 2

• severe =3

(sum daily scores) * 5

general well-being

 

sum of daily well-being scores

• well = 0

• under par = 1

• poor = 2

• very poor =3

• terrible = 4

(sum daily scores) * 7

number of symptoms (6) present

• arthritis, arthralgias

• iritis, uveitis

• erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, aphthous stomatitis

• anal fissure, fistula or abscess

• other fistula

• fever > 100 °F during past week

(number present) * 20

taking Lomotil for diarrhea

yes

30

 

no

0

abdominal mass

• none = 0

• questionable = 2

• definite = 5

(points for abdominal mass) * 10

hematocrit

male: 47 - hematocrit

(difference) * 6

 

female: 42 - hematocrit

(difference) * 6

body weight

100 * (1 - ((current weight) / (standard weight)))

(value) * 1

 

where:

• the definition for each parameter given in Table 2, page 441

 

activity index =

= SUM(points for each parameter)

 

Interpretation:

• minimum score: about -25

• maximum score: about 625

• An increase in the index between visits (negative difference for last index less the current index) correlates with worsening of the patient's condition, while a decrease (positive difference for last index less the current index) was associated with improvement.

 

Clinical Status (Physician's Rating)

Mean Score for Patient with Rating

very well

90

fair to good

195

poor

310

very poor

510

Figure 1, page 442.

 

In the implementation, I somewhat arbitrarily used the following for rating

 

Score

Rating

> 425

very poor

291 to 425

poor

151 to 290

fair to good

<= 150

very well

 


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