Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3)

RAPID3 is a patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity based on three simple self-report items: patient-counted swollen and tender joints and overall health assessment. Introduced by Pincus et al. in 2008, RAPID3 was designed for primary care and busy practices where joint examination is impractical or time-limited. Remarkably, RAPID3 correlates strongly with clinician-examined composite measures (DAS28, CDAI, SDAI) and predicts long-term radiographic progression equally well, making it a practical alternative for resource-limited settings and self-directed monitoring.