RESEARCH - RA is more severe in less affluent countries

[Guest guest]

Rheumatoid Arthritis Is More Severe in Less Affluent Countries

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 31 - People in poor countries seem to

suffer from more severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) than those in

wealthy countries, suggests a July 31 Online First report in the

ls of the Rheumatic Diseases, but the reasons are not obvious.

Lead author Dr. Tuulikki Sokka, of Jyvaskyla Central Hospital,

Finland, told Reuters Health, " The majority of clinical rheumatology

research has been conducted in Western Europe, US and Canada, and

their research observations are considered universal 'truth,' as there

have been no or limited data concerning the status of patients with

rheumatoid arthritis in many countries. "

For the present study, Dr. Sokka and colleagues used data from the

Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

(QUEST-RA) database, which Dr. Sokka described as " a unique project

that collects data on rheumatoid arthritis...including less-wealthy

countries that are rarely or never included in rheumatology research

projects. "

Specifically, as of April 2008 the QUEST-RA cohort comprised 6004

patients from 71 rheumatology clinics in 25 countries, including 14

" high gross domestic product (GDP) " countries with GDP per capita

greater than $24,000 and 11 " low GDP " countries with GDP per capita

less than $11,000.

*********************************************

Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/706860

Not an MD