EULAR - European validation of the ICF Core Sets for five musculoskeletal diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, low back pain and chronic widespread pain

The ICF Core Sets for musculosceletal conditions need now to be tested and validated in a number of settings in different countries and regions. Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to validate and further develop the ICF Core Sets for musculoskeletal conditions.
The specific aims are (1) to examine the validity or "truth" and the feasibility of the large Core Sets for rheumatoid arthritis, chronic widespread pain, low back pain, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis in a number of settings and countries throughout Europe, and for rheumatoid arthritis (2) to study the discriminative capacity, (3) to explore the patient' perspective, (4) to examine the validity in a very early RA cohort and (5) to develop an European proposal for a practical Short ICF Core Set.
Four parallel studies will be performed in order to accomplish each of the first four specific aims.
Study 1 will be a cross-sectional multicentre European study with at least 25 centres throughout Europe. It will be performed by ICF Research Branch of the WHO Collaborating Center for the Family of International Classifications at the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) in conjunction with the University Hospital Maastricht (The Netherlands), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology.
Study 2 will be a longitudinal prospective study with a test-retest-design and a follow-up of three months. It will be performed at the National Resource Center for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology at the Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo (Norway).
Study 3 will be a qualitative study on the patients' perspective and Study 4 will be a longitudinal, prospective study with very early RA patients over a 12 months period. Study 3 as well as Study 4 will be performed at the Vienna Medical University, Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Rheumatology Vienna (Austria).

The ICF Core Sets will provide clinicians a common language and a powerful classification system to assess the global function of the patient and direct disability management. ICF based approaches may also help to be able to provide comprehensive care including medical, surgical and prevention and rehabilitation interventions in the future. The Core Sets are patient centered and will therefore stress the patient's perspective.
The unique position of EULAR for research, practice and teaching involving not only physicians but health professionals and social leagues to optimise participation of patients with musculoskeletal conditions make EULAR the ideal partner for the testing of the ICF Core Sets for musculoskeletal conditions in Europe. Additionally, the support of EULAR of the project would help participants to successfully submit local grants exploring validity, usefulness and feasibility of the ICF Core Sets in the respective countries, regions and settings, and sub-sets of patients.