Reduced disease activity and quality of life in early rheumatoid arthritis

Lowering disease activity clearly improved quality of life of people with early rheumatoid arthritis, but tight control as a treatment strategy did not. These are the findings of research from The Netherlands that looked at 299 people who had rheumatoid arthritis for less than one year and had not used disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs before.

The participants were split into groups: methotrexate -based tight control ; usual care; 10mg/d prednisone; or placebo.

People who received methotrexate or prednisone had lower disease activity when measured at one- and two-year intervals.  

There was no clear association between either of the treatment strategies and quality of life. Decrease in disease activity, however, was associated with improved quality of life.

“Lowering disease activity was clearly associated with enhanced quality of life, irrespective of how this goal was reached,” the researchers conclude. “The present study results are compatible with guidelines recommending to apply treat-to-target and tight control strategies.

“The rigorous frequent monitoring visits in a tight control treatment strategy does not impact quality of life [and] the addition of prednisone to such a strategy does not impact quality of life.”

Click here to read the original research.