Related Experiment Videos
Is rheumatoid arthritis disappearing?
1Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, N-0319 Oslo, Norway. till.uhlig@nrrk.no
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
|August 3, 2004
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence has decreased over recent decades, possibly due to real declines and improved classification methods. Current estimates suggest 25-50 new RA cases per 100,000 people annually.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Studies have tracked rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence across diverse locations and time periods.
- Historical data from the 1970s-1980s indicated higher RA incidence rates compared to contemporary figures.
- Recent years show a stabilization of reported RA incidence at lower levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence over time.
- To investigate potential explanations for observed changes in RA incidence rates.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological studies on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence.
- Comparative analysis of RA incidence data from different decades.
- Evaluation of diagnostic and classification methodologies in RA research.
Main Results:
- A decline in reported rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence has been observed over recent decades.
- Incidence rates appear to have plateaued at a lower level in recent years.
- Changes in classification criteria may significantly contribute to the observed decline in RA incidence.
Conclusions:
- The decrease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence may be attributed to both a genuine decline and advancements in diagnostic criteria.
- Current annual incidence of typical rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is estimated between 25-50 per 100,000 population.