AS patients with enthesitis constitute a more severe subset of disease, and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) Enthesitis Index is feasible and reliable for measurement of this condition. Discrimination requires further study in larger trials.

Objective. The Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) constitutes an absolute level of patient well-being and represents an ambitious target for disease management. We explored contributors to PASS, validated the PASS concept, and assessed thresholds of self-reported outcomes below which patients considered themselves in PASS. Methods. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis completed a questionnaire that included self-reported assessments of pain, fatigue, disease activity, function, patient global, quality of life (QOL), and whether they considered their current disease state satisfactory or not. Stepwise logistic regression was used to assess contributors to PASS. PASS was validated by analyzing proportions of patients reporting need for a rheumatologist and who were in current flare. PASS thresholds for self-reported outcomes were estimated using an anchoring method based on the patient's opinion and targeting the 75th percentile of the cumulative distribution. Results. PASS data were available for 291 patients, of whom 169 (58%) were in PASS.

Rheumatology nurses can address unmet patient needs by expanding current roles and by adopting additional functions.

Rheumatology nurses can address unmet patient needs by expanding current roles and by adopting additional functions.

We have reviewed the experience in a single center of a biologic register for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Over the past decade, the entry demographics show that we are treating patients at an earlier stage and with slightly less severe disease. Our outcomes measured by the percentage in DAS28 remission are comparable with national databases. We were surprised by the small number who were switched from their first biologic to a second (27 %), but this might reflect the lack of a firm "treat to target" approach. Our use of concomitant methotrexate/leflunomide is less than we would have liked and thought, but our use of concomitant corticosteroids is much less than normally seen. A single-center registry can provide useful monitoring and quality assurance data and stimulate change.