Episode 36: ACR Response Criteria in Rheumatoid Arthritis Trials

In this QCast episode, Jullia and Tom unpack ACR response criteria in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials and why these endpoints are more operationally demanding than they look on paper. They explain what ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 measure, how the responder definition depends on consistent joint counts, patient-reported assessments, and timely acute phase reactants, and why a clean-looking binary endpoint can still carry composite-style risks.

Key Takeaways

• Protect the core ACR components at site level, especially tender and swollen joint counts, visit windows, and lab turnaround, because missing or late elements can block endpoint classification.
• Build derivations and reporting to reflect the ACR hierarchy so ACR70 implies ACR50 and ACR20, avoiding avoidable inconsistencies in outputs.
• Plan early for how you will use repeated assessments, whether through repeated measures, curve-focused approaches, or overall summaries like weighted differences or GEE, and be clear on how results will be interpreted.

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📝 Episode Notes & Transcript: Find show notes, resources, and a full transcript at quanticate.com/podcast.
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