This prospective one-year follow-up study was conducted from 835 visits in 178 
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Tender-/swollen-joint count, Health 
Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Disease Activity Score 
28-ESR (DAS28-ESR), DAS28-CRP, Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) and 
DAS28-monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (DAS28-MCP-1) scores were obtained every 3 
months. Radiographs of hands and feet were acquired at baseline and one year. We 
evaluated the correlation and accuracy of activity scores in predicting 
remission, HAQ-DI changes and radiographic changes. DAS28-MCP-1 correlated 
strongly with DAS28-ESR, DAS28-CRP and SDAI scores (0.830, 0.899 and 0.931, 
respectively, with all P < 0.001). Score changes of DAS28-MCP-1 were comparable 
to those of DAS28-ESR, DAS28-CRP and SDAI in predicting changes in HAQ-DI and 
bone erosion. DAS28-MCP-1 (<2.2) was better than DAS28-ESR (<2.6) in indicating 
modified American Rheumatism Association remission and 2011 American College of 
Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism remission (75.61% vs. 36.99% and 
81.71% vs. 49.13%, respectively) with odds ratios of 5.28 and 4.62 (both 
P < 0.001), respectively. We compared DAS28-MCP-1 with SDAI (≦3.3) in indicating 
remission with odds ratios of 2.63 (P = 0.002) and 0.98, respectively (and 
DAS28-MCP-1 with DAS28-CRP < 2.5: 1.33 and 0.92). Therefore, DAS28-MCP-1 is 
useful as an alternative in assessing RA activity.