The multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) score is an objective tool for monitoring
disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here we report a systematic review
and meta-analysis of the clinical value of the MBDA score in RA.We performed a systematic
literature search in five medical databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Library
(CENTRAL), Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, from inception to 13 October 2021.
Original articles reporting on the performance of the MBDA score’s correlation with
conventional disease activity measures, or the predictive and the discriminative value
of the MBDA score for radiographic progression, therapy response, remission, and relapse
were included.Our systematic search provided a total of 1190 records. After selection
and citation searches, we identified 32 eligible studies. We recorded moderate correlations
between MBDA score and conventional DAMs at baseline (COR = 0.45, CI: 0.28–0.59; I2
= 71.0% for DAS28 CRP and COR = 0.55, CI: 0.19–0.78; I2 = 0.0% for DAS28-ESR) and
at follow-up (COR = 0.44, CI: 0.28–0.57; I2 = 70.0% for DAS28 CRP), and found that
the odds of radiographic progression were significantly higher for patients with a
high baseline MBDA score (>44) than for patients with a low baseline MBDA score (<30)
(OR = 1.03, CI: 1.02–1.05; I2 = 10.0%).MBDA score might be used as an objective disease
activity marker. In addition, it is also a reliable prognostic marker of radiographic
progression.
