Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Dissatisfaction

It’s a good week to think about joint health, since we’re in the middle of Bone and Joint Action Week (October 12-20). One-third of adults need medical care for a joint/bone condition every year, and the numbers are only going up. In fact, joint or bone conditions rank as the most likely cause of a person experiencing long-term pain or physical disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) continues to account for a large portion of these debilitating joint conditions, sapping away quality of life for the 1.3 million Americans with RA. Despite a growing list of treatment options for RA, the vast majority of patients report that they have not achieved their treatment goals and continue to live with daily symptoms that affect their ability to enjoy life, according to a study published recently. Even patients taking some of the newer biological medications do not have their symptoms adequately controlled.

Just how rampant is dissatisfaction among RA patients? Only one in four feel content with their current treatment outcome. This means 75% of RA patients remain unsatisfied with their treatments, namely due to disease flares or ongoing symptoms. 

During this year’s Bone and Joint Action Week, it’s a good time to check in with your patients about how well their disease is under control, to consider if it’s appropriate to revise the treatment plan to seek better outcomes. As always, BioPlus is available to meet the specialty pharmacy medication needs of your patients.

Source

Radawski C, Genovese MC, Hauber B, et al. Patient perceptions of unmet medical need in rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-sectional survey in the USA. Rheum Ther 2019;6(3):461-71.