Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, and a predicting clinical improvement is essential. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to identify predictor variables of clinical improvement in patients with RA using artificial intelligence (AI) models in a specializ...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Claudia Ibáñez-Antequera, Gabriel-Santiago Rodríguez-Vargas, Fernando Rodríguez-Florido, Pedro Rodríguez-Linares, Adriana Rojas-Villarraga, Pedro Santos-Moreno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-06-01
Series:Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1759720X251342426
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850100834488025088
author Claudia Ibáñez-Antequera
Gabriel-Santiago Rodríguez-Vargas
Fernando Rodríguez-Florido
Pedro Rodríguez-Linares
Adriana Rojas-Villarraga
Pedro Santos-Moreno
author_facet Claudia Ibáñez-Antequera
Gabriel-Santiago Rodríguez-Vargas
Fernando Rodríguez-Florido
Pedro Rodríguez-Linares
Adriana Rojas-Villarraga
Pedro Santos-Moreno
author_sort Claudia Ibáñez-Antequera
collection DOAJ
description Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, and a predicting clinical improvement is essential. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to identify predictor variables of clinical improvement in patients with RA using artificial intelligence (AI) models in a specialized RA center. Design: Retrospective cohort study in adult RA patients was conducted between January and June 2022. Follow-up data related to clinical improvement was taken from 6 to 12 months after the baseline. Predictive models were generated by machine learning (ML), by Python programming language. The Transparent Reporting of a multivariate prediction model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines were followed to harmonize this study based on AI. Methods: The response variable was classified as improved and non-improved. Patients were considered improved if they persisted or achieved a Disease Activity Score 28—joints (DAS28) <3.2 at the end of the follow-up period or experienced a decrease ⩾0.6 compared to baseline, regardless of the initial DAS28 value. Explainability techniques in AI were applied to identify the most relevant clinical features. Results: In total, 3161 RA patients were included. The median age was 65 years (interquartile range (IQR) 57–72). 82.7% were female. Disease duration was 8.3 years (IQR 4.9–11.3). The median value of baseline DAS28 was 2.1 (IQR 2.1–2.8). 2668 (84.4%) were classified as improved, and 493 (15.6%) as non-improved. From ML models, the Extra tree model showed higher sensitivity (0.841). Regarding clinical improvement prediction with the Shapley Additive Explanations method, it was observed that low values of baseline DAS28 were positively associated with clinical improvement. The use of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) were related to an increase in the probability of non-improved, which may be secondary to the level of severity of the disease. Conclusion: AI models in RA can predict clinical improvement at initial consultations, enabling targeted approaches. Disease severity may be influenced by anti-CCP positivity and the use of biologic therapies when conventional treatments fail.
format Article
id doaj-art-7f074111daa8491bae5366ca2988ee2c
institution DOAJ
issn 1759-7218
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease
spelling doaj-art-7f074111daa8491bae5366ca2988ee2c2025-08-20T02:40:11ZengSAGE PublishingTherapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease1759-72182025-06-011710.1177/1759720X251342426Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patientsClaudia Ibáñez-AntequeraGabriel-Santiago Rodríguez-VargasFernando Rodríguez-FloridoPedro Rodríguez-LinaresAdriana Rojas-VillarragaPedro Santos-MorenoBackground: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, and a predicting clinical improvement is essential. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to identify predictor variables of clinical improvement in patients with RA using artificial intelligence (AI) models in a specialized RA center. Design: Retrospective cohort study in adult RA patients was conducted between January and June 2022. Follow-up data related to clinical improvement was taken from 6 to 12 months after the baseline. Predictive models were generated by machine learning (ML), by Python programming language. The Transparent Reporting of a multivariate prediction model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis (TRIPOD) guidelines were followed to harmonize this study based on AI. Methods: The response variable was classified as improved and non-improved. Patients were considered improved if they persisted or achieved a Disease Activity Score 28—joints (DAS28) <3.2 at the end of the follow-up period or experienced a decrease ⩾0.6 compared to baseline, regardless of the initial DAS28 value. Explainability techniques in AI were applied to identify the most relevant clinical features. Results: In total, 3161 RA patients were included. The median age was 65 years (interquartile range (IQR) 57–72). 82.7% were female. Disease duration was 8.3 years (IQR 4.9–11.3). The median value of baseline DAS28 was 2.1 (IQR 2.1–2.8). 2668 (84.4%) were classified as improved, and 493 (15.6%) as non-improved. From ML models, the Extra tree model showed higher sensitivity (0.841). Regarding clinical improvement prediction with the Shapley Additive Explanations method, it was observed that low values of baseline DAS28 were positively associated with clinical improvement. The use of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) were related to an increase in the probability of non-improved, which may be secondary to the level of severity of the disease. Conclusion: AI models in RA can predict clinical improvement at initial consultations, enabling targeted approaches. Disease severity may be influenced by anti-CCP positivity and the use of biologic therapies when conventional treatments fail.https://doi.org/10.1177/1759720X251342426
spellingShingle Claudia Ibáñez-Antequera
Gabriel-Santiago Rodríguez-Vargas
Fernando Rodríguez-Florido
Pedro Rodríguez-Linares
Adriana Rojas-Villarraga
Pedro Santos-Moreno
Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease
title Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
title_full Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
title_fullStr Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
title_full_unstemmed Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
title_short Development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of Colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
title_sort development and evaluation of a multivariable prediction model for clinical improvement in an established cohort of colombian rheumatoid arthritis patients
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1759720X251342426
work_keys_str_mv AT claudiaibanezantequera developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients
AT gabrielsantiagorodriguezvargas developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients
AT fernandorodriguezflorido developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients
AT pedrorodriguezlinares developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients
AT adrianarojasvillarraga developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients
AT pedrosantosmoreno developmentandevaluationofamultivariablepredictionmodelforclinicalimprovementinanestablishedcohortofcolombianrheumatoidarthritispatients