The chronic, inflammatory disorder known as rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, may affect people of any age, but in most cases, it hits people between the ages of 40 and 50. When one has RA, it can get really painful, as the person’s functionality and mobility are greatly affected. If you are diagnosed with RA or unfortunately belong to the high-risk group, you should not lose hope. Keep in mind that there are various treatments already available to prevent long-term damage caused by this condition. It is vital to take note of the prognostic factors to ensure the proper management of the disease.
It is good to know that there are figures showing at least 70% are still able to lead long, active lives despite having RA. Of course, this is made possible through proper medication. Because of newer and better drugs, the prognosis for RA has become better than it was during the previous years. Still, this does not mean you should not look into the matter seriously. RA can be relatively mild to severe, and you can’t really predict the outlook for a patient when the disease starts. The average life expectancy can be reduced compared to that of the healthier population.
What can you expect when you have RA?
Sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis can experience effects not only in the joints but also in the entire body. Of course, this varies from patient to patient. There are those who end up bedridden, while some still continue to lead productive, active lives. Others even run on marathons.
On the down side, the whole body can feel weakness and fatigue, aside from expected joint pain. It is also possible to experience occasional muscle pains, loss of appetite, and consequently weight loss. The progression of the disease is really hard to predict.
The pain and disability brought about by rheumatoid arthritis can affect many facets of life. Some sources note the possibility of not being able to continue to work after 5 years of acquiring the disease. This happens to about 33% of sufferers. In 10 years, approximately 50% will experience substantial disability. Being deprived of the capacity to work and do other things you usually enjoy doing can lead to emotional stress. However, with positive outlook, good support system, proper education and a shift to better lifestyle, you can fight the negative effects of rheumatoid arthritis.
What are the factors affecting RA prognosis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that can have a diverse course. When RA comes in a mild form, sufferers can still perform their normal activities for a couple of years from the time the disease starts. Definitely, it is expected that some may need to modify their lifestyles.
One factor sufferers should note is that with RA, they have greater risks of developing “associated disease” such as cardiovascular disease. This is why it is important to have a healthy lifestyle. Those who have acquired rheumatoid arthritis are advised to stop smoking, watch their diet, and maintain a good body weight. They are also encouraged to exercise regularly to reduce the risk of acquiring osteoporosis.
Poor prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis has a variety of factors. These factors should be carefully observed to ensure that proper treatment is given. One factor is persistent synovitis, or inflammation of the synovial membrane. It is said that persistent synovitis leads to erosive joint damage, and this causes functional disability.
The progression of rheumatoid arthritis can also be predicted by a combination of other prognostic factors like joint involvement, high levels of C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity. RF positivity is a consistent prognostic factor used in predicting joint damage and functional disability.
It is very important to know about and watch out for these factors to address the disease properly. Aggressive therapy is needed for cases with active disease and seropositive RF tests. Meanwhile, cases found to have little synovitis and seronegative tests can do with conservative management or therapy.
Other factors affecting RA prognosis are formation of early erosive disease, positive serum anti-CCP autoantibodies, carrying HLA-DR4 “shared epitope” alleles, and other extra-articular findings. Extra-articular findings include subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules. Elevated phase response and increased clinical severity are also RA prognostic factors.
Interestingly, family history of rheumatoid arthritis should not be overlooked, as this can also have an effect on poor prognosis, in addition to functional status and socioeconomic factors.
When it comes to life span, the effects of rheumatoid arthritis to individuals really vary. There are some who maintain normal life span cycle. The disease can also shorten life span by 5 to 10 years. RA sufferers who have a lot of joint damages may have higher mortality. The same is true for those who have poor functionality or overall health status. RA sufferers become more prone to heart disease. Other risk factors are diabetes, higher cholesterol and blood pressure, and even alcohol abuse.
If the patient responses positively to the treatment, this may indicate a better prognosis. Early detection and proper treatment are really important so the sufferer can still lead an active life after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.