Dr Sajjan Shenoy

Mangaluru, Aug 15: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune systemic inflammatory disorder which can affect multiple organs if left untreated. Studies show that about 1% of the population in developed countries suffer from RA. Research in India shows 0.9% of the local population suffers from RA. The initial symptoms cause swelling and inflammation in the joints. On an average 60-70% of patients, I see in my day to day clinic suffer from RA. Incidences of RA are ever-increasing which could be partly due to rapidly changing environmental factors and also partly due to changing lifestyle.

RA can affect any age group including children and adults. The patients who are highly prone to RA are in the age group of 25-50 years. However, women are more prone to get RA compared to men. If we rewind two decades ago Rheumatology clinics used to be filled with patients in wheelchairs because of misdiagnosis. With the advancement in medication nowadays we can see stable patients walking into Rheumatology OPD. The medications provided are approved for the treatment of RA which is safe to be used during pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

It’s very important to educate and council patient regarding chronicity of condition and importance of long term treatment. Apart from medication we also recommend physiotherapy when necessary, regular exercise, maintaining weight, avoiding smoking & intake of alcohol. This helps in preventing other co-morbidities like cardiovascular disease associated with RA.

RA is treatable if recognized and started treatment early. It is possible for RA patients to lead a pain-free, disability-free normal life but with the right therapy and lifestyle modifications like adopting a healthy diet, avoiding foods with high sugar, salt, and fat content, regular exercise and stopping smoking. Currently, there are many treatment options available in the form of orals and injectable preferred treatment options. Patients with RA should be encouraged to regularly consult with a Rheumatologist for treatment optimization and monitoring drug adverse effects monitoring that can enable them to live a better quality of life.