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Over 20 years, patients given drugs were apparently more able to walk, get dressed and less likely to die

RHEUMATOID arthritis sufferers given early and aggressive treatment have better and longer lives, researchers say.

Experts studied 602 patients with one in four receiving drugs within six months of showing symptoms.

Alamy

Over 20 years they were more able to walk, get dressed and less likely to die, said teams from Manchester and East Anglia Universities.

Author James Gwinnut said: Though there is a broad range in terms of how people are affected by the disease, the number of patients whose lives have improved has increased thanks in part to early treatment.

The good news is that early intervention has become more and more common in the NHS over these past 20 years.

Alamy

Dr Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK, added: This study confirms how important early diagnosis and the commencement of treatment is.

It is also encouraging to hear about the progress that has been made over the last 20 years.

Now the scientific community must continue to build on this so that together we can continue to harness the power of exceptional science and make everyday life better for all people with arthritis.

Biomedcentral.com

The study was published in Arthritis and Rheumatology.

There are 400,000 Brits with incurable rheumatoid arthritis.

It causes inflammation in your joints with main symptoms being joint pain and swelling and flare ups.

The incurable disease leads to progressive joint destruction which leads to disability and premature death.

Excerpt from:
Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers given early and aggressive treatment live 'better and longer lives' - The Sun

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