A CONTINUED NEED FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTIONS DESPITE CURRENT TREATMENTS IN PERSONS WITH RA

There has been a dramatic change over the past two decades for persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not only due to early diagnosis, structured treatment, and aggressive medication but also due to an increased demand of... [ view full abstract ]

There has been a dramatic change over the past two decades for persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not only due to early diagnosis, structured treatment, and aggressive medication but also due to an increased demand of participation in work life and society. The aim was to study differences regarding pain and activity limitations during the 3 years following diagnosis in women and men with contemporary treated early RA compared with their counterparts who were diagnosed 10 years earlier.
Method:
Patients were recruited to the “early interventions in RA” (TIRA). In the first cohort (TIRA-1) 320 patients were included in time for diagnosis during 1996-1998 and 463 patients were included during 2006-2009 (TIRA-2). Disease activity, pain intensity (VAS), bodily pain (BP) in SF-36, activity limitations (HAQ) and medication were reported at inclusion and at follow-ups after one, two and three years.
Results:
Disease activity, pain and activity limitation were pronounced at inclusion across both genders and in both cohorts, with improvements during the first year after diagnose. Disease activity was significantly lower at the follow-ups in the TIRA-2 cohort, in which the patients were prescribed traditional DMARDs and biologic agents more frequently. In TIRA-2 patients reported significantly lower pain and activity limitations at all follow-ups with men reporting lower pain than women. Women, reported significantly higher activity limitations at all time-points in TIRA-2.
Conclusion:
Pain and activity limitations were still pronounced in the contemporary treated early RA cohort.
A continued need for multidisciplinary interventions was found despite advances in treatments.