Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

DocwireNews

Functional disability (FD) is significantly more common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to the general population, a recent study found.According to the study authors, writing in the June issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, RA is one of the top conditions most frequently associated with FD. &ldquo;However, it remains unclear whether the excess of FD in RA is universal for all age groups, how serologic status impacts FD, and how trends of FD in RA compare with the general population.&rdquo;For the study, researchers evaluated data on RA patients aged 18 years and older from a single county in Minnesota between Jan. 1, 1999, and Dec. 31, 2013. Eligibility was based on fulfillment of the 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria for RA, which was determined by querying the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which provided complete community-wide medical records. Disease incidence date was the earliest date the patient fulfilled at least four of the previously established RA criteria. A control group was created with other community residents without RA; controls were matched to RA patients based on age, sex, and calendar year of index date (corresponding to the RA patient&rsquo;s incidence date). Additional data collected including smoking (never, current, or former) and obesity status, and for patients with an index year of 2005 or later, use of antidepressants within one year prior to the index date.Patients self-reported activities of daily living (ADL) during routine Mayo Clinic visits; they were asked about their ability to perform the following tasks without assistance: feeding oneself, dressing, using the toilet, bathing, walking, and housekeeping. Patients who had difficulty with one or more of the six ADL were considered to have FD.<h2>RA Patients More Likely to Struggle with ADL</h2>Final analysis included 586 RA patients and 531 controls; each group filled out 4,301 and 3,145 questionnaires, respectively, for a total of 7,446 total completed questionnaires. Mean age at index date was similar between the RA (55.4 years) and non-RA (56.2 years) cohorts, and both groups were 70% female. Antidepressant use within the year leading up to the index date was also similar (28% versus 26%, respectively).FD&mdash;defined as difficulty with at least one ADL&mdash;was significantly more prevalent in the RA group compared to the non-RA group at the RA incidence/index date (26% vs. 11%, respectively; P &lt; 0.001). RA patients were also more likely to have difficulty with two or more ADL (13% vs. 5%, respectively; P &lt; 0.001).Notably, RA patients were significantly more likely to face challenges with ADL up to two years before their disease diagnosis; the study authors reported: &ldquo;In the period from 3 to 2 years before RA incidence/index date, there was no statistically significant difference between cohorts (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 0.74-3.05; P=.26). However, in the periods from 2 years to 1 year before and within 1 year before RA incidence/index date, patients with RA had a significantly higher prevalence of FD than the non-RA group (OR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.66-3.64; P=.014 and OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.63-4.72; P&lt;.001, respectively).&rdquo;Women had higher FD rates than men in both the RA (P &lt; 0.001) and non-RA (P = 0.04) cohorts.The researchers concluded by saying that their findings &ldquo;[suggest] that additional vigilance may be needed to help improve their functional outcomes.&rdquo;

Sara Nunnery, MD, MSCI

Reclassifying HER2: What Oncologists Need to Know About HER2-Low and -Ultralow Breast Cancer

HER2 Breast Cancer

Jeffrey Perl, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Thoughts From the 2025 Lazarus Award Winner

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Brandon Twyford

DESTINY-Breast09 Demonstrates First-Line Superiority of Enhertu Plus Pertuzumab in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Latest News

RA Patients More Likely to Have Functional Disability

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Functional disability (FD) is significantly more common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to the general population, a recent study found.

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HR Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Oncology

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe