Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA)

Helps measure disease activity in psoriatic arthritis based on joint symptoms, CRP and pain evaluation.

Refer to the text below the calculator for more information about the DAPSA development and usage.

The Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) is a measurement instrument for PsA disease activity. It has been derived by testing the Disease Activity index for REactive Arthritis (DAREA) in patients with PsA and was found to have good reliability and validity.

Numerical values for the five domains (tender & swollen joints, CRP, disease activity and pain) are summed to provide the DAPSA score. This can further be interpreted in the light of disease activity as follows:

DAPSA Interpretation
0 – 4 Remission
5 – 14 Low disease activity
15 – 28 Moderate disease activity
>28 High disease activity
Tender Joints Count (out of 68)
Swollen Joints Count (out of 66)
CRP

Patient's assessment of disease activity and pain

How active was your rheumatic disease on average during the last week?
0
Not Active (0) Very Active (10)
How would you describe the overall level of joint pain during the last week?
0
Not Active (0) Very Active (10)
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Steps on how to print your input & results:

1. Fill in the calculator/tool with your values and/or your answer choices and press Calculate.

2. Then you can click on the Print button to open a PDF in a separate window with the inputs and results. You can further save the PDF or print it.

Please note that once you have closed the PDF you need to click on the Calculate button before you try opening it again, otherwise the input and/or results may not appear in the pdf.

 

DAPSA Explained

The Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) is a measurement instrument for PsA disease activity. It has been derived by testing the Disease Activity index for REactive Arthritis (DAREA) in patients with PsA and was found to have good reliability and validity.

DAPSA has shown correlational, discriminatory and criterion validity, and good sensitivity to change.

The instrument consists in 5 domains:

  • Tender Joints Count (out of 68);
  • Swollen Joints Count (out of 66);
  • C Reactive Protein (CRP) expressed in mg/dL;
  • Patient’s assessment of rheumatic disease activity (0 for not active, up 10 for very active);
  • Patient’s assessment of pain severity (0 for none up to 10 for very severe);

Numerical values for the five domains above are summed to provide the DAPSA score. This can further be interpreted in the light of disease activity as follows:

DAPSA Interpretation
0 – 4 Remission
5 – 14 Low disease activity
15 – 28 Moderate disease activity
>28 High disease activity
 

References

Original reference

Schoels M, Aletaha D, Funovits J, Kavanaugh A, Baker D, Smolen JS. Application of the DAREA/DAPSA score for assessment of disease activity in psoriatic arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2010; 69(8):1441-7.

Other references

Schoels MM, Aletaha D, Alasti F, Smolen JS. Disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA): defining remission and treatment success using the DAPSA score. Ann Rheum Dis. 2016; 75(5):811-8.

Eberl G, Studnicka-Benke A, Hitzelhammer H, Gschnait F, Smolen JS. Development of a disease activity index for the assessment of reactive arthritis (DAREA). Rheumatology (Oxford). 2000; 39(2):148-55.

Specialty: Dermatology

Objective: Evaluation

No. Of Items: 5

Year Of Study: 2010

Abbreviation: DAPSA

Article By: Denise Nedea

Published On: May 28, 2021 · 12:00 AM

Last Checked: May 28, 2021

Next Review: May 28, 2026