🦴 CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis)
The Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) measures rheumatoid arthritis disease activity without any laboratory value, summing joint counts and global assessments.
Because it contains no acute-phase reactant, CDAI can be computed instantly at the bedside and is unaffected by infection or other causes of a raised CRP/ESR (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
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When to use
Enter tender and swollen 28-joint counts plus patient and physician global assessments (0–10); the tool returns the 0–76 score and activity band.
How it works
CDAI = tender joint count (0–28) + swollen joint count (0–28) + patient global (0–10) + physician global (0–10). ≤2.8 remission, ≤10 low, ≤22 moderate, >22 high activity.
Key points
- Because it contains no acute-phase reactant, CDAI can be computed instantly at the bedside and is unaffected by infection or other causes of a raised CRP/ESR (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim).
- Treat-to-target strategies commonly aim for CDAI low activity or remission, reassessed at defined intervals until target is reached.
- Both global assessments use a 0–10 scale here; CDAI tracks closely with the CRP-containing SDAI in routine practice.
References
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Tender joint count (28 joints) | 0 joints |
|---|---|
| Swollen joint count (28 joints) | 0 joints |
| Patient global assessment (0–10) | 0 cm |
| Physician global assessment (0–10) | 0 cm |
→CDAI0/76 · Clinical remission
- Calculation：CDAI = tender 0 + swollen 0 + patient 0 + physician 0 = 0
- Strata：≤2.8 remission · ≤10 low · ≤22 moderate · >22 high disease activity.
- Features：Contains no acute-phase reactant (no ESR/CRP needed) and is computed instantly at the bedside; treat-to-target (T2T) commonly targets CDAI low activity or remission.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis)?
- The Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) measures rheumatoid arthritis disease activity without any laboratory value, summing joint counts and global assessments.
- How is CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis) calculated? What is the core formula?
- CDAI = tender joint count (0–28) + swollen joint count (0–28) + patient global (0–10) + physician global (0–10). ≤2.8 remission, ≤10 low, ≤22 moderate, >22 high activity.
- When is CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis) used?
- Enter tender and swollen 28-joint counts plus patient and physician global assessments (0–10); the tool returns the 0–76 score and activity band.
- What are the key clinical points for CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis)?
- Because it contains no acute-phase reactant, CDAI can be computed instantly at the bedside and is unaffected by infection or other causes of a raised CRP/ESR (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim). Treat-to-target strategies commonly aim for CDAI low activity or remission, reassessed at defined intervals until target is reached. Both global assessments use a 0–10 scale here; CDAI tracks closely with the CRP-containing SDAI in routine practice.
- What are the limits and cautions when using CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis)?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- How is CDAI Clinical Disease Activity Index (Rheumatoid Arthritis) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Tender joint count (28 joints) 0 joints, Swollen joint count (28 joints) 0 joints, Patient global assessment (0–10) 0 cm, Physician global assessment (0–10) 0 cm → Result: CDAI 0 /76 · Clinical remission（Calculation: CDAI = tender 0 + swollen 0 + patient 0 + physician 0 = 0, Strata: ≤2.8 remission · ≤10 low · ≤22 moderate · >22 high disease activity., Features: Contains no acute-phase reactant (no ESR/CRP needed) and is computed instantly at the bedside; treat-to-target (T2T) commonly targets CDAI low activity or remission.）