[Predictive factors of prognosis in rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis leads the patients to severe physical disability and the mortality is significantly worse than general population. To predict the prognosis at first visit in hospital is difficult but there are several factors influence on the prognosis; disease activity and it's duration, high titer of rheumatoid factor, male and vasculitis. The most important factor is disease activity and it's duration. Recent advance of the treatment of RA improve the prognosis of either disability or mortality. Adverse effects of drugs for RA may threaten the life but their use leads statistically significant improvement of mortality.