RA Cases Projected to Rise, Mortality Drops

The number of cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is projected to continue increasing up to 2050, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2021 Rheumatoid Arthritis Collaborators. Even as mortality associated with RA has decreased over the past 30 years worldwide, the age-standardized prevalence rate and years lived with disability have increased.

“As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021, we provide updated estimates of the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and its associated deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age, sex, year, and location, with forecasted prevalence to 2050,” the authors explained in their article published in Lancet Rheumatology.

They estimated the prevalence of RA in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020, using data from population-based studies and medical claims.

The authors estimated that in 2020, approximately 17.6 million people had RA worldwide. The age-standardized global prevalence rate was 208.8 cases per 100,000 population— a 14.1% increase since 1990—with higher prevalence seen among women. The age-standardized death rate was 0.47 per 100,000 population, a 23.8% (17·5–29·3) decrease from 1990 to 2020.

The 2020 DALY count was 3,060,000 with an age-standardized DALY rate of 36.4 per 100,000 population.

“We forecast that 31.7 million (25.8–39.0) individuals will be living with rheumatoid arthritis worldwide by 2050,” the authors stated.

They concluded, “Improved access to early diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis globally is required to reduce the future burden of the disease.”

Reference:

Black RJ, Cross M, Haile LM. Global, regional, and national burden of rheumatoid arthritis, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023;5(10):E594-E610.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00211-4