Pain a constant despite advances in rheumatoid arthritis treatment

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Pain a constant despite advances in rheumatoid arthritis treatment

October 11, 2004

ATLANTA - Despite advances in treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a nationwide survey commissioned by the Arthritis Foundation shows that 70 percent of adults in the United States with RA still experience joint pain, stiffness and fatigue on a daily basis.

Results also reveal that more than one-third rank their quality of life at only a five out of 10 at best.In an effort to identify unmet needs of the RA community with regard to treatment options and quality of life, the Arthritis Foundation, in collaboration with Interactive, surveyed 500 adults with RA. The most common medications used to treat RA include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic response modifiers (BRMs). Half of the people surveyed report that some symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are reduced by the medication; however, 49 percent report they continue to modify their daily household activities as a result of their arthritis. Despite significant improvements in treatment for RA over the past 10 years, other findings of the survey include:-- Nearly 70 percent of adults with RA experience pain on a daily basis-- More than 50 percent are either extremely concerned or very concerned about their ability to take care of themselves or about the likelihood of becoming disabled-- Three in four who are taking DMARDs or BRMs are extremely interested or very interested in talking to their physician about new RA treatments-- The two most important factors in possible new treatments for RA are that the medication relieves pain more completely or provides longer periods of relief from their painRA is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy joint tissue and causes inflammation and subsequent joint damage. RA often persists for many years, typically affecting many different joints throughout the body, and causing damage to the cartilage, bone, tendons and ligaments of the joints. RA affects women three times more often than men, primarily in the childbearing years of a woman's life.The top three concerns surrounding current treatments available for RA were the potential for long-term health consequences, an increased risk of infection and less than adequate relief from fatigue. The survey also revealed that the pain, stiffness and fatigue associated with RA inhibits nearly half of the respondents from participating in physical activities, and prevented one in four people from being active enough to maintain a healthy weight.Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability, costing the U.S. economy more than $86 billion annually. For more information about RA, contact the Arthritis Foundation at 800- 283-7800 or ttp://www.arthritis.org for a FREE booklet, Managing Your Activities. The Arthritis Foundation also offers access to "RA Connect" an interactive community and comprehensive resource created by and for people living with rheumatoid arthritis as a creative means to connect with others who have been touched by the disease.

http://www.alphaonenow.com/index.php?page=news & story_no=5369

Hugs, Jacy

~I don't approve of political jokes: I've seen too many get elected.

jacymail@...www.geocities.com/mtn_rose

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