Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with loss of overall functionality of the locomotion system and it is connected with substantial economic losses.
Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and healthcare resource utilization characteristics and to analyze the correlations in a cross-sectional sample of 206 patients in Romania.
Method: RA cases have been enrolled from southern and western part of the country, covering a surface of 23 counties.
Results: Particularly in the literature data, Romanian RA patients become work disabled at 5.65 +/- 5.99 years old after the diagnosis. At cohort level, retirement in the first year after RA diagnosis is of 22.9%. From those, 13% were treated with biologic DMARDs; those on non-biologic DMARDs were 28.6%. In oral therapy group the most prescribed drug is lefunomide (61.2%). RA has an important impact on pain, function and utility, influenced by social factors. Patients' follow up is often based on hospitalization.
Conclusion: Currently, when the clinician may choose for one certain therapy or another, the social influence is still overwhelming at all the evaluation levels in RA patients, as well as at economic impact.