Long-term outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is recognized as a disease with a natural history of severe long-term outcomes, which appear to be improving at this time, as reported from many clinics.

Improved outcomes of many long-term consequences of inflammation such as joint deformity, functional declines, work disability, and early death have been reported in recent years.

Therapies for RA are assessed in randomized clinical trials and in clinical care primarily according to measures of inflammatory activity, which may change considerably over days, weeks, and months. In usual clinical care, long-term consequences of the disease, which often require years of observation, can also be assessed. Data in published reports of both clinical trials and clinical care continue to include only a minority of all patients with RA. Further efforts are needed to promote collection of quantitative data in all patients with RA, at all visits in all clinical settings, to facilitate 'tight control' and better outcomes for all patients with RA.