Objectives: To study 10-year outcomes in patients with early seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) whether the outcomes improve over time.
Methods: Data of 1754 patients with early RA, diagnosed in 1997-2011 were explored; 66% (n=1151) were seropositive and included in the analyses. Patients were divided into five groups by diagnosis year: 1997-1999, 2000-2002, 2003-2005, 2006-2008 and 2009-2011. Clinical parameters including disease activity and function were compared between the groups.
Results: A total of 832 (72%) patients attended the 10-year visit, while 319 did not (e.g. 196 had died and 49 moved). The median (IQR) DAS28 decreased from 2.9 (2.2, 3.7) to 2.3 (1.4, 3.0) (p<0.001) between groups 1997-1999 and 2009-2011. The proportion of patients with 2 or more swollen joints on 46 joint count decreased from 33% to 13%, respectively. Median (IQR) pain decreased from 30 (15, 52) to 25 (6, 51) (p=0.03) and fatigue from 31 (12, 52) to 15 (2, 50) (p=0.012). Median (IQR) dr.global decreased from 20 (5, 40) to 0 (0, 5) p<0.001. The proportion of patients with a HAQ-score of ≤0.5 increased from 39% to 49% (p=0.002). The proportion of patients that had used methotrexate by the 10-year visit increased from 79% to 96% (p<0.001) and the proportion of patients who had used bDMARDs increased from 11% to 28% (p=0.001), respectively.
Conclusions: Several clinical outcomes were better in patients who were diagnosed more recently. More intensive use of medications over time might have contributed to these improvements.