Fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity in adults with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity and explore how these beliefs correlate with sociodemographic, disease-specific, and psychosocial factors in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHOD: This cross-sectional study is part of the Physical Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (PARA) 2010 study. The study participants (n = 2351) were identified through the Swedish Rheumatology Quality (SRQ) registries from six rheumatology clinics in Sweden. Univariate and backwards stepwise logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS: Stepwise logistic regressions showed that male gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-1.91] and having a below average income (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.12-1.63) were associated with an increased risk of high scores on the modified Fear Avoidance-Belief Questionnaire (mFABQ). The two disease-specific factors most indicative of high mFABQ scores were high level of pain (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.40-2.84) and poor health (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.10-2.29). With regard to psychosocial factors, low health-related quality of life (HRQoL; OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.35-0.55) and a low score on the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES; OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.82) were significantly associated with a high mFABQ score. The model fit was 0.27 (Nagelkerke's R(2)). CONCLUSIONS: High fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity in patients with RA were found to be associated with being male and having a below average income, a high level of pain, poor health, a low HRQoL, and low ESES score. Additional research is warranted for adults with RA to capture the multiple potential correlates to fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity.

Anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy in rheumatoid arthritis and risk of malignant lymphomas: relative risks and time trends in the Swedish Biologics Register.

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists have proved effective as treatment against rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the unresolved issue of whether the use of anti-TNF therapy increases the already elevated risk of lymphoma in RA remains a concern. METHODS: Using the Swedish Biologics Register (ARTIS), the Swedish Cancer Register, pre-existing RA cohorts and cross-linkage with other national health and census registers, a national RA cohort (n = 67,743) was assembled and patients who started anti-TNF therapy between 1998 and July 2006 (n = 6604) were identified. A general population comparator (n = 471,024) was also assembled and the incidence of lymphomas from 1999 to 31 December 2006 was assessed and compared in these individuals. RESULTS: Among the 6604 anti-TNF-treated RA patients, 26 malignant lymphomas were observed during 26,981 person-years of follow-up, which corresponded to a relative risk (RR) of 1.35 (95% CI 0.82 to 2.11) versus anti-TNF-naive RA patients (336 lymphomas during 365,026 person-years) and 2.72 (95% CI 1.82 to 4.08) versus the general population comparator (1568 lymphomas during 3,355,849 person-years). RA patients starting anti-TNF therapy in 1998-2001 accounted for the entire increase in lymphoma risk versus the two comparators. By contrast, RR did not vary significantly by time since start of first treatment or with the accumulated duration of treatment, nor with the type of anti-TNF agent. CONCLUSION: Overall and as used in routine care against RA, TNF antagonists are not associated with any major further increase in the already elevated lymphoma occurrence in RA. Changes in the selection of patients for treatment may influence the observed risk.

Charting the possible impact of national guidelines on the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To identify temporal trends in the prescription of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Using data from the Swedish RA register (n = 2,584), we analysed the proportion of RA patients prescribed DMARDs at their first consultation between 1997 and 2001. Statistical process control (SPC) was used to chart and analyse major changes in prescription behaviour, while more traditional time series analysis methods (i.e. regression) were used to corroborate the nature of any trend. RESULTS: The SPC method identified an upward shift in the prescription of DMARDs in July 1998 and a change in the process by October 1998. Time series analysis confirmed an increasing trend in DMARD prescription over the period as a whole and the trend was statistically significant (p

Swedish registers to examine drug safety and clinical issues in RA.

Data from several different monitoring systems are examined. The potential for registers based on data obtained from clinical practice, and linkage of such data to national health and population registers, is discussed. The approach described is a possible prototype for long term surveillance systems needed for the safe introduction of new treatments.

Trends in disease modifying antirheumatic drug prescription in early rheumatoid arthritis are influenced more by hospital setting than patient or disease characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To characterise temporal trends and factors associated with the prescription of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at the initial consultation in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Data from 2584 patients with early RA at 19 hospitals were extracted from the Swedish Rheumatoid Arthritis Register for the period 1997-2001. Disease characteristics and DMARD prescription at first consultation with the rheumatologist were investigated using cross tabulation and logistic regression. RESULTS: DMARD prescriptions, particularly for methotrexate, increased from 1997 to 2001 independently of patient characteristics. Stratification by hospital type showed that patients in district hospitals were less likely to be prescribed DMARDs than those in university hospitals (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.53 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40 to 0.69), p<0.001), independently of confounding factors. Association of the DAS28 with the likelihood of DMARD prescription was greater among patients attending district hospitals (OR = 1.65 (1.34 to 2.02), p<0.001) than those at university hospitals (OR = 1.23 (1.07 to 1.41), p = 0.003) and county hospitals (OR = 1.34 (1.01 to 1.63), p = 0.003). Interaction testing indicated that the difference was significant (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Temporal trends in DMARD prescription indicate an increasingly aggressive approach to disease management among Swedish rheumatologists. However, the association of hospital type with DMARD prescription suggests that the adoption of research findings in clinical care varies considerably.

Adalimumab (Humira) restores clinical response in patients with secondary loss of efficacy from infliximab (Remicade) or etanercept (Enbrel): results from the STURE registry at Karolinska University Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) antagonist adalimumab (Humira) can be efficacious after secondary loss of efficacy (i.e. loss of clinical response in patients who had initially demonstrated clinical response) to infliximab (Remicade) or etanercept (Enbrel). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 36 patients from the Stockholm TNF-alpha follow-up registry (STURE) who received adalimumab after secondary loss of efficacy to infliximab (group A, n = 27) or etanercept (group B, n = 9), and 26 patients who were started on adalimumab as the first TNF-alpha antagonist (group C). RESULTS: In group A, the baseline disease activity score 28 (DAS28) at infliximab institution was 5.5+/-0.2. During infliximab treatment, the mean best DAS28 was 3.7+/-0.2 (p<0.001), but increased to 5.2+/-0.3 when infliximab was stopped. After 3 months on adalimumab, the mean DAS28 decreased to 4.5+/-0.3 (p<0.003), and then to 4.2+/-0.2 at 6 months (p<0.001). In group B, the baseline DAS28 at etanercept institution was 6.6+/-0.5. During etanercept treatment, the mean best DAS28 was 4.6+/-0.5 (p<0.01), but increased to 5.7+/-0.4 by the time etanercept was stopped. After 3 months on adalimumab, the mean DAS28 decreased to 4.8+/-0.3 (p<0.005), and to 4.1+/-0.2 at 6 months (p<0.001). In group C, the mean baseline DAS28 was 5.6+/-0.3. After 6 months of adalimumab therapy, the DAS28 decreased to 3.5+/-0.4 (p<0.001). ACR20 responses with adalimumab in groups A, B, and C were similar (70-78%). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with secondary loss of efficacy from infliximab or etanercept, switching to adalimumab can restore a good clinical response.

Risks of solid cancers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and after treatment with tumour necrosis factor antagonists.

BACKGROUND: Existing studies of solid cancers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reflect cancer morbidity up until the early 1990s in prevalent cohorts admitted to hospital during the 1980s. OBJECTIVE: To depict the cancer pattern of contemporary patients with RA, from updated risk data from prevalent and incident RA populations. To understand the risk of solid cancer after tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment by obtaining cancer data from cohorts treated in routine care rather than trials. METHODS: A population based study of three RA cohorts (one prevalent, admitted to hospital 1990-2003 (n = 53,067), one incident, diagnosed 1995-2003 (n = 3703), and one treated with TNF antagonists 1999-2003 (n = 4160)), which were linked with Swedish nationwide cancer and census registers and followed up for cancer occurrence through 2003. RESULTS: With 3379 observed cancers, the prevalent RA cohort was at marginally increased overall risk of solid cancer, with 20-50% increased risks for smoke related cancers and +70% increased risk for non-melanoma skin cancer, but decreased risk for breast (-20%) and colorectal cancer (-25%). With 138 cancers, the incident RA cohort displayed a similar cancer pattern apart from non-decreased risks for colorectal cancer. TNF antagonist treated patients displayed solid cancer (n = 67) risks largely similar to those of other patients with RA. CONCLUSION: The cancer pattern in patients treated with TNF antagonists mirrors those of other contemporary as well as historic RA cohorts. The consistent increase in smoking associated cancers in patients with RA emphasises the potential for smoking cessation as a cancer preventive measure in RA.

Longitudinal analysis of citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (anti-CP) during 5 year follow up in early rheumatoid arthritis: anti-CP status predicts worse disease activity and greater radiological progression.

OBJECTIVE: To study serum levels of citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (anti-CP) during up to 5 years' follow up of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to relate serum levels to disease course and to treatments in clinical practice. METHODS: 279 patients with early RA were followed up with clinical investigations, radiographs, and measurement of anti-CP at baseline and after 3 months, 1, 2, 3, and 5 years. RESULTS: 160/279 (57.3%) patients were anti-CP positive at the first visit (mean 5 months after first symptoms). During follow up only 11/279 (3.9%) of the patients changed their anti-CP status. Anti-CP levels fell significantly during the first year, and this drop correlated with the extent of sulfasalazine treatment but not with other drugs or clinical indices. Anti-CP positive and negative patients had similar disease activities at baseline, but during follow up the anti-CP positive patients had worse clinical disease and greater radiological progression, despite at least equally intensive antirheumatic treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-CP are stable during the first 5 years of RA, suggesting that events before rather than after onset of clinical manifestations of disease determine this phenotype. The presence of anti-CP at diagnosis predicts a less favourable disease course and greater radiological progression despite antirheumatic treatment, but subsequent changes in antibody levels do not reflect changes in disease activity. Taken together, these observations suggest that anti-CP positive RA is a distinct clinical and pathophysiological entity.

Haematopoietic malignancies in rheumatoid arthritis: lymphoma risk and characteristics after exposure to tumour necrosis factor antagonists.

BACKGROUND: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of malignant lymphomas, and maybe also of leukaemia and multiple myeloma. The effect of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists on lymphoma risk and characteristics is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess expected rates and relative risks of haematopoietic malignancies, especially those associated with TNF antagonists, in large population based cohorts of patients with RA. METHODS: A population based cohort study was performed of patients with RA (one prevalent cohort (n = 53,067), one incident cohort (n = 3703), and one TNF antagonist treated cohort 1999 through 2003 (n = 4160)), who were linked with the Swedish Cancer Register. Additionally, the lymphoma specimens for the 12 lymphomas occurring in patients with RA exposed to TNF antagonists in Sweden 1999 through 2004 were reviewed. RESULTS: Study of almost 500 observed haematopoietic malignancies showed that prevalent and incident patients with RA were at increased risk of lymphoma (SIR = 1.9 and 2.0, respectively) and leukaemia (SIR = 2.1 and 2.2, respectively) but not of myeloma. Patients with RA treated with TNF antagonists had a tripled lymphoma risk (SIR = 2.9) compared with the general population. After adjustment for sex, age, and disease duration, the lymphoma risk after exposure to TNF antagonists was no higher than in the other RA cohorts. Lymphomas associated with TNF antagonists had characteristics similar to those of other RA lymphomas. CONCLUSION: Overall, patients with RA are at equally increased risks for lymphomas and leukaemias. Patients with RA treated with TNF antagonists did not have higher lymphoma risks than other patients with RA. Prolonged observation is needed to determine the long term effects of TNF antagonists on lymphoma risk.

Estimated prediagnosis radiological progression: an important tool for studying the effects of early disease modifying antirheumatic drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if intrapatient comparisons between prediagnosis and subsequent radiological progression could be used to assess effects of DMARDs in an RA inception cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 149 non-randomised patients with newly diagnosed RA in four groups were analysed: patients treated with (a) methotrexate (n = 56); (b) sulfasalazine (n = 55); (c) auranofin (n = 19); and (d) controls who were poor treatment responders (n = 19). Radiographs were quantified using the Larsen erosion score. The prediagnosis radiological progression from the onset of RA symptoms to diagnosis was calculated and compared with the observed progression rate during the first year after diagnosis while receiving DMARD treatment. RESULTS: Mean (SD) disease duration from onset of symptoms until diagnosis was 6.7 (4.0) months. Mean (SD) baseline Larsen score was 13.2 (9.3), giving a mean (SD) estimated prediagnosis progression rate of 23.6 (12.4) Larsen score units/year. Control and auranofin groups showed radiological progression after diagnosis similar to the progression predicted by prediagnosis progression rates. Patients receiving methotrexate or sulfasalazine showed a marked reduction (71% and 73%, respectively; p<0.001) in radiographic progression compared with prediagnosis progression. CONCLUSIONS: Prediagnosis rates of radiological progression can be used quantitatively to obtain information on the potential efficacy of DMARDs, and indicate that methotrexate and sulfasalazine, but not auranofin, significantly retard radiographic damage in the first year after diagnosis.

Results from a nationwide postmarketing cohort study of patients in Sweden treated with etanercept.

OBJECTIVES: To describe a nationwide system for postmarketing follow up of new antirheumatic drugs in Sweden, and to analyse safety and effectiveness in an etanercept treated patient cohort. METHODS: Etanercept became available in Sweden for prescribing on a named patient basis in 1999. All patients treated were included in a follow up of intensified adverse event reporting and recording of clinical outcome during 24 months, according to the EULAR core set. RESULTS: The mean (SD) disease activity score (DAS 28) value at inclusion among 820 patients recruited on a named patient basis during year 1 was 5.99 (1.19). After two years, 21% (n = 172) of these patients had discontinued the treatment. Of the remaining 648 patients, 68% (n = 442) responded to the treatment. However, in 55% of the responders, the disease activity was intermediate or high (mean DAS 28, 3.37 (1.20)). In all, 540 adverse events were reported in 421 adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports, in 294 patients. The events in 80 reports (19%) were serious. Twenty two per cent of the events were infections, of which 24% (n = 29) were serious. The incidence of serious adverse events remained constant over time. CONCLUSIONS: At start of etanercept treatment, patients had high disease activity. Activity remained high in a large proportion of the responding patients. Although serious ADRs occurred during late phases of treatment, no unexpected safety problems arose. No specific indicators of ADR risk were found. The monitoring system that was established may be useful in future postmarketing surveillance.

Do team gymnasts compete in spite of symptoms from an injury?

BACKGROUND: Gymnasts practise many hours a week, and symptoms from injuries do not seem to stop them from continuing with practice. They may even compete with symptoms from injuries, which could increase the risk of reinjury, or of the occurrence of a more severe injury. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether team gymnasts compete at high level in spite of symptoms from an injury. METHODS: 188 male and female competitors participating in the Swedish Cup for juniors and seniors answered a questionnaire about symptoms from injuries on the day of the competition. RESULTS: More than half the gymnasts (58%) competed despite having symptoms from an injury on the day of the competition. More seniors than juniors competed in spite of symptoms from an injury (p = 0.006). Two of three team gymnasts (65%) reported symptoms from the lower extremities and around one in five (22%) reported back symptoms. Fifty five per cent of the gymnasts reported recurrence of an injury at the same site (reinjury). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of symptoms from injuries on the day of competition. This did not stop the team gymnasts from competing.

Relationship between inflammation and joint destruction in early rheumatoid arthritis: a mathematical description.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been unequivocally characterised. Joint destruction may result from the cumulative inflammatory burden over time, modified by an individual constant factor. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the relationship between radiological progression and inflammation can mathematically be expressed as: [equation: see text] where Re is a factor that varies from person to person. METHODS: Clinical data and radiographs of 76 patients with early RA receiving different disease modifying antirheumatic drugs were analysed. Radiographs were quantified using the modified Larsen score and the "X-Ray RheumaCoach" software. The cumulative inflammatory burden was estimated by the time integrated 28 joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), calculated as the area under the curve. RESULTS: 76 patients with early RA who started treatment with methotrexate (n = 20), sulfasalazine (n = 37), or oral gold (n = 19) monotherapy were evaluated. The mean (SEM) DAS28 decreased from 4.6 (0.1) at baseline to 2.3 (0.1) after 2 years. The mean (SEM) DeltaLarsen score from baseline to year 2 was 10.3 (1.5). Correlation between cumulative inflammation and radiographic change was poor. In contrast, when calculating a person's factor Re in year 1 ( Re 1) and year 2 ( Re 2), a strong and significant correlation (r = 0.58, p<0.000001) was seen between Re 1 and Re 2. CONCLUSIONS: Joint destruction is the result of the cumulative burden of inflammation over time, modified by an individual factor Re that remains relatively constant over the first 2 years of observation. The data support a mathematical model that expresses the interrelationship between inflammation and joint destruction.

Clinical and radiological disease-course in a Swedish DMARD-treated early RA-inception cohort: an observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) decrease clinical signs and symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, radiographic changes sometimes continue to accrue despite effective suppression of clinical symptoms by therapy. The objective of this study was to identify whether successful clinical disease-control in a Swedish early RA-inception cohort of patients led to an attenuation of radiological progression. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analysed clinical data and radiographs of 95 patients who were on a stable treatment regimen [methotrexate (MTX), sulfasalazine (SSZ), oral gold (AUR)] or who had changed between different DMARDs during the 2-year observation period [multiple therapy failures (mTF)]. Radiographs were quantified using the modified Larsen score and 'X-Ray RheumaCoach' software. RESULTS: Clinical measures improved markedly (p <0.001) from baseline to year 2 under AUR, MTX, and SSZ therapy but not in the mTF group. Similar levels of disease control were seen for each DMARD. During this period, patients treated with AUR had a deltaLarsen score (+ 14.5+/-1.3) similar to mTF patients (+ 15.8+/-1.1) but greater than patients on MTX (+8.6+/-0.8) or SSZ (+9.1+/-0.8). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that radiological progression occurs despite a clinically acceptable disease control, but also shows that, given the same degree of clinical disease control, radiological progression can be different for different DMARDs.

Quantification of the influence of cigarette smoking on rheumatoid arthritis: results from a population based case-control study, using incident cases.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the influence of cigarette smoking on the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: 679 cases and 847 controls included during May 1996-June 2000 in a case-control study, using incident cases, comprising the population aged 18-70 years of a defined area of Sweden, were investigated. A case was defined as a person from the study base who received for the first time a diagnosis of RA using the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria, and controls were randomly selected from the study base. Self reported smoking habits among cases and controls, and rheumatoid factor status among cases were registered. The incidence of RA in current smokers, ex-smokers, and ever-smokers, respectively, was compared with that of never-smokers. RESULTS: Current smokers, ex-smokers, and ever-smokers of both sexes had an increased risk for seropositive RA (for ever-smokers the odds ratio was 1.7 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2 to 2.3) for women, and 1.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 3.5) for men), but not for seronegative RA. The increased risk was only apparent among subjects who had smoked > or =20 years, was evident at an intensity of smoking of 6-9 cigarettes/day, and remained for up to 10-19 years after smoking cessation. The risk increased with increasing cumulative dose of smoking. CONCLUSION: Smokers of both sexes have an increased risk of developing seropositive, but not seronegative, RA. The increased risk occurs after a long duration, but merely a moderate intensity, of smoking and may remain for several years after smoking cessation.

Low levels of apoptosis and high FLIP expression in early rheumatoid arthritis synovium.

OBJECTIVES: To define synovial apoptosis with respect to disease duration, inflammatory cell type, FLIP (FLICE-like inhibitory protein), and cytokines expression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Synovial biopsy specimens from 11 patients with longstanding RA (median disease duration 21 years) and eight with early RA (median disease duration five months) were investigated. Apoptosis (TUNEL method combined with morphological analysis), cell surface markers (CD3, CD68), cytokines (interleukin (IL) 1alpha, IL1beta, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and IL6), and FLIP expression were evaluated. Computer assisted image analysis was used for quantification. RESULTS: The apoptosis level in RA synovium was significantly higher in the group of patients with longstanding RA than in the patients with early RA (8.8% v 0.6%, p=0.001), while the number of macrophages and FLIP expression were higher in the group with early disease than in the group with longstanding RA (16.2% v 8.3%, p=0.02 and 31.1% v 0.2%, p=0.001 respectively). All three markers correlated significantly with disease duration (R=-0.7, p<0.001 for FLIP, R=0.6, p=0.001 for apoptosis, and R=-0.5, p<0.05 for CD68). Cytokine expression and T cell score were not significantly different in early RA from longstanding RA. No differences were seen between patients treated or not treated with corticosteroids or between patients treated or not treated with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that RA synovial macrophages are resistant to apoptosis in early RA and express high levels of FLIP. During natural or drug modified disease progression the apoptotic mechanism may be restored with a specific increase of synovial apoptosis in patients with longstanding arthritis.

On the organization of an early arthritis clinic.

Early active treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs has become standard management for patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis. A number of questions, however, remain unresolved for practising clinicians, for example how early and how actively to treat and what the treatment goals should be. This chapter summarizes some recent data that have added important empirical evidence on these issues. It has thus been demonstrated that the formal organization of an early arthritis clinic shortens the referral time from primary care, that a delay in the institution of disease-modifying drug treatment leads to decreased long-term function and that early active treatment with pharmacotherapy as well as team-based care may increase occupational capacity. It is argued that adopting a day care approach in the initial encounter with specialist care may increase the possibility for patients actively to understand the disease and their own potentials to diminish and cope with its effects. The further development of care for early arthritis patients with new, potentially efficient but also expensive drugs will increase the requirement for a structured documentation of outcomes, systems for such documentation being discussed in the chapter.

[New drugs require nw follow-up surveillance]. / Nya läkemedel kräver nya former för uppföljning.

The marketing of new drugs has been sped up considerably, partly as a consequence of the common EU regulatory system. At the time of approval the documentation concerning long-term effects and health economic outcomes of a new drug is scanty. This is of particular relevance to chronic and debilitating diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. In the field of rheumatology new, expensive, and clinically effective drugs have been marketed recently. This has lead to subsequent problems in the setting of priorities at the clinical as well as the administrative level. The demand for appropriate systems for following up of effects, toxicity and economy of these drugs has compelled the Swedish Society for Rheumatology and the Medical Products Agency to establish a surveillance system for TNF-blockers. This was implemented already in the pre-marketing phase, and is presently being continued as an observational study after approval. Experience from the development phase of this system and some preliminary results are presented.

A comparison of wind noise in four hearing instruments.

Wind noise was measured in four behind-the-ear hearing instruments with different microphone openings. A silent airflow of 7 m/s was directed toward the ear of a Kemar head and the resulting wind noise was measured. The amplification was set to an insertion gain of 35 dB at 1.6 kHz. The wind noise amplitude at the position of the drum ranged from 84 to 97 dB(A). The hearing instrument with a partially covered microphone entrance proved best, whereas one with an open microphone entrance had the poorest performance. A reduction in wind noise of 6-17 dB could be achieved in all hearing instruments by using a simple windscreen made of Styrofoam. The windscreen affected the frequency response by less than 2 dB. By subtracting the insertion gain from the wind noise, an equivalent wind noise could be presented as a function of frequency. A considerable difference was found between the wind noise sensitivity in different hearing instruments. All could be improved by a windscreen without adversely affecting the frequency response.