Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are able to live more easily with their condition today compared with patients diagnosed 20 years ago.
Anxiety, depressed mood and physical disability have been halved since 1993, according to new Dutch research, published today (3 December 2013) in Arthritis Care & Research.
Earlier diagnosis, improved drug treatments and advice about keeping active have all played a part in improvements, researchers said.
A reduction in disease activity may also play a part, according to the researchers.
Lead author Cécile Overman, of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Utrecht University, said: “Earlier diagnosis, more intensive interventions along with recommendations to live a full life and to be physically active may help improve daily living for those with RA.”
The study examined if psychological distress and physical disability in rheumatoid arthritis patients reduced over the last two decades.
Researchers recruited 1,151 people, aged between 17 and 86, all of whom had newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis between 1990 and 2011. Each was assessed at the time of diagnosis and monitored for the following three to five years.
After the first four years of treatment, 23% of rheumatoid arthritis patients reported anxiety, 25% depressed mood, and 53% had physical disability compared to 12%, 14% and 31%, respectively, today.
The decrease in physical disability remained significant even after adjusting for reduced disease activity. Results suggest that the downward trend in physical disability, anxiety, and depressed mood may be due in part to reduced disease activity.
“Our study determined that currently, 1 out of 4 newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis patients are disabled after the first four years of treatment; while 20 years ago, that figure was higher at 2 out of 4 patients,” concludes Ms Overman.
“Today, rheumatoid arthritis patients have a better opportunity of living a valued life than patients diagnosed with this autoimmune disease two decades ago.”
Overman C, Jurgens M et al. Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Nowadays are Less Psychologically Distressed and Physically Disabled Than Patients Two Decades Ago. Arthritis Care and Research. Published online 3 December, 2013. DOI: 10.1002/acr.22211. [abstract]
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