|
Arthritis Suffers Still Hurt, Despite Advances in Treatment: New Study
Oct. 5,
2004 - Despite tremendous advances in treatments available for
rheumatoid arthritis, 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. It
is estimated that 40 percent of those over age 65 suffer from some form
of arthritis.
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 Harris Interactive(a), 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 pain
|
Rheumatoid
arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining
becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling
types, affecting mostly women. |
|
|
What Is Arthritis?
Although the term literally means
joint inflammation, arthritis really refers to a group of more
than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that can cause pain,
stiffness and swelling in the joints. Certain conditions may
affect other parts of the body-such as the muscles, bones, and
some internal organs-and can result in debilitating, and
sometimes life-threatening, complications. If left undiagnosed
and untreated, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the
joints.
The two most common forms of the
disease, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, have the
greatest public health implications, according to the Arthritis
Foundation. (For more on other causes of joint pain, see "Other
Forms of Arthritis and Related Conditions.")
Osteoarthritis, previously known
as "degenerative joint disease," results from the wear and tear
of life. The pressure of gravity-the load of living-causes
physical damage to the joints and surrounding tissues, leading
to pain, tenderness, swelling, and decreased function.
Initially, osteoarthritis is noninflammatory and its onset is
subtle and gradual, usually involving one or only a few joints.
The joints most often affected are the knee, hip and hand. Pain
is the earliest symptom, usually made worse by repetitive use.
Osteoarthritis affects 21 million people, and the risk of
getting it increases with age. Other risk factors include joint
trauma, obesity, and repetitive joint use.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an
autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's own immune system
mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint).
This chronic, potentially disabling disease causes pain,
stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints.
While the cause remains elusive,
doctors suspect that genetic factors are important in rheumatoid
arthritis. Recent studies have begun to tease out the genetic
characteristics that can be passed from generation to
generation. However, the inherited trait alone does not cause
the illness. Researchers think this trait, along with some other
unknown factor-probably in the environment-triggers the disease.
But rheumatoid arthritis can be
difficult to diagnose early because it may begin gradually with
subtle symptoms. According to the CDC, this form of arthritis
affects more than 2 million people in the United States, and two
to three times more women are affected than men. –
FDA Consumer Magazine |
|
"This
survey brings to light the need for aggressive research to improve the
treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a disease affecting more than 2.1
million Americans," said Dr. John H. Klippel, president and CEO,
Arthritis Foundation. "It is a clear indication that we still have a
great deal of work to do to improve quality of life for people with RA
when more than two- thirds of the people surveyed experience symptoms
that limit their ability to perform daily activities, in spite of taking
their medication."
RA 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.
"While
it is encouraging to learn that the majority of patients taking either
DMARDs or biologics perceive their medication has provided them with
some relief from their RA symptoms, the disappointment lies in the lack
of control they feel in managing their condition from day to day," added
Klippel. "The Arthritis Foundation encourages people with RA to play an
active role in their treatment by asking their physicians about the
latest treatments available, as well as promising new research on the
horizon."
Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability, costing the U.S.
economy more than $86 billion annually. The Arthritis Foundation has
made great strides in understanding the needs of those with RA, and has
focused its efforts on funding research for new treatments and improving
access to medications and information about RA. For more information
about improving your quality of life with 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.
About
The Survey
The
telephone survey with 500 rheumatoid arthritis patients (aged 18 years
and over) was conducted between August 9-30, 2004 among a sample of
self-identified people with RA in the United States compiled by Survey
Sampling, International LLC. Eligible respondents were told by a
physician that they have rheumatoid arthritis, visited a doctor who
specialized in arthritis at least once per year and described their
rheumatoid arthritis as moderate or severe. Further, respondents were
either currently on a biologic medication (etanercept, adalimumab,
anakinra, infliximab) or one of two DMARD medications (leflunomide or
methotrexate). Respondents who had completely stopped taking a biologic
medication within the three months prior to the survey were also
eligible to participate.
Based
on market share estimates, the total sample was weighted to reflect the
composition of rheumatoid arthritis patients who take these biologics or
DMARDs. In theory, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the
results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 5 percentage
points of what they would be if the entire group of patients who are
using the biologic (etanercept, adalimumab, anakinra, infliximab) or
DMARD (leflunomide or methotrexate) medications had been polled with
complete accuracy.
About
the Arthritis Foundation
The
Arthritis Foundation is the only nationwide, nonprofit health
organization helping people take greater control of arthritis by leading
efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis and related diseases. The
Arthritis Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organization
that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related
conditions with advocacy, programs, services and research. Web:
http://www.arthritis.org
Note a:
This survey was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the
Arthritis Foundation through a grant from Genentech, Inc. and Biogen
Idec.
Copyright: SeniorJournal.com |
