Journal article
Modification and validation of the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (version 3).
- Abstract:
- BACKGROUND: Comprehensive multisystem clinical assessment using the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity score (BVAS) is widely used in therapeutic studies of systemic vasculitis. Extensive use suggested a need to revise the instrument. The previous version of BVAS has been revised, according to usage and reviewed by an expert committee. OBJECTIVE: To modify and validate version 3 of the BVAS in patients with systemic vasculitis. METHODS: The new version of BVAS was tested in a prospective cross-sectional study of patients with vasculitis. RESULTS: The number of items was reduced from 66 to 56. The subscores for new/worse disease and persistent disease were unified. In 313 patients with systemic vasculitis, BVAS(v.3) correlated with treatment decision (Spearman's r(s) = 0.66, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.72), BVAS1 of version 2 (r(s) = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.96), BVAS2 of version 2 in patients with persistent disease (r(s) = 0.60, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.83), C-reactive protein levels (r(s) = 0.43, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.54), physician's global assessment (r(s) = 0.91, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.93) and vasculitis activity index (r(s) = 0.88, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.91). The intraclass correlation coefficients for reproducibility and repeatability were 0.96 (95% CI 0.95 to 0.97) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.92 to 0.97), respectively. In 39 patients assessed at diagnosis and again at 3 months, the BVAS(v.3) fell by 17 (95% CI 15 to 19) units (p<0.001, paired t test). CONCLUSION: BVAS(v.3) demonstrates convergence with BVAS(v.2), treatment decision, physician global assessment of disease activity, vasculitis activity index and C-reactive protein. It is repeatable, reproducible and sensitive to change. The new version of BVAS is validated for assessment of systemic vasculitis.
- Publication status:
- Published
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1136/ard.2008.101279
Authors
- Journal:
- Annals of the rheumatic diseases More from this journal
- Volume:
- 68
- Issue:
- 12
- Pages:
- 1827-1832
- Publication date:
- 2009-12-01
- DOI:
- EISSN:
-
1468-2060
- ISSN:
-
0003-4967
- Language:
-
English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
-
pubs:108307
- UUID:
-
uuid:78f6aa30-8977-4631-b357-bb5d8a6e128e
- Local pid:
-
pubs:108307
- Source identifiers:
-
108307
- Deposit date:
-
2012-12-19
- ARK identifier:
Terms of use
- Copyright date:
- 2009
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