Diagnosis and treatment of RA

Dr Paul O’Connell and Dr Khalid Ali Khan look at the issue of early treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and examine the different treatment options that are available. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic inflammatory arthritis and also the one with the most potential to cause severe disability. The prevalence rate is approximately 0.5-1 per cent in Europe. Females are two-to-three times more likely to develop RA than males. {openx:269} While the prevalence of RA increases with age, the incidence peaks in persons aged 35-50 years old. Nevertheless, the disease can begin in both the elderly and the young.…