---
title: A Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program to Improve Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Adherence in Rheumatoid Arthritis
nct_id: NCT02671838
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: Singapore General Hospital
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Rheumatoid Arthritis
countries: Singapore
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT02671838.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02671838"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2020-10-27
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:43:44.185Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# A Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program to Improve Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Adherence in Rheumatoid Arthritis

**Official Title:** Developing a Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program as an Intervention to Improve Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Adherence in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

**NCT ID:** [NCT02671838](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02671838)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 132
- **Lead Sponsor:** Singapore General Hospital
- **Conditions:** Rheumatoid Arthritis
- **Start Date:** 2017-01
- **Completion Date:** 2019-10
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2020-10-27

## Brief Summary

Non-adherence to medications can lead to sub-optimal treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. In order to improve disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) adherence, the investigators are conducting a randomized controlled trial to test out an intervention to improve medications adherence among low adherers. This intervention involves the use of a musculoskeletal ultrasound program which allows RA patients to visualize their joint inflammation and damage real time while treatment adherence is simultaneously reinforced. In doing so, the investigators hope to improve patients' understanding of their joint disease and motivate the participants to adhere to their medications.

## Detailed Description

This is a single center randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in the Singapore General Hospital. Eligible RA subjects meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be screened using a medication adherence measure questionnaire. Thereafter 132 patients who are low adherers on the questionnaire will then be recruited and randomized (in a 1:1 ratio) to either (a) intervention arm (with musculoskeletal US program) or (b) control arm (without musculoskeletal US program), and followed up over a period of about 6 month.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 21 Years
- **Maximum age:** 75 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** No

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Male and female patients from 21 to 75 years old
* Underlying rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed using the 1987 or 2010 RA criteria
* On at least one of the following DMARDs (Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, Hydroxychloroquine and/or Leflunomide)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnancy
```

## Arms

- **Musculoskeletal ultrasound program** (OTHER) — Participants will receive the musculoskeletal ultrasound program
- **Control** (NO_INTERVENTION) — Participants will not be receiving the musculoskeletal ultrasound program.

## Interventions

- **Musculoskeletal ultrasound program** (BEHAVIORAL) — Using a musculoskeletal ultrasound program to help improve medication adherence

## Primary Outcomes

- **Change in proportion of patients with a low adherence score using medication adherence measure (questionnaire)** _(time frame: baseline and 1 month)_

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Change in proportion of patients with a low adherence score using medication adherence measure (questionnaire)** _(time frame: baseline, 3 months and 6 months)_
- **Change in proportion of patients with a low adherence score using medication adherence measure (pharmacy dispense data)** _(time frame: baseline, 1 month, 3months and 6 months)_

## Locations (1)

- Singapore, Singapore

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.|singapore||singapore` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT02671838.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02671838*  
*This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*