Study shows decline in work disability due to rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints and, in severe cases, vital organs. Marked by pain, fatigue, and loss of dexterity and mobility, RA has been strongly associated with work disability in the US. In previous studies of patients with advanced RA, 10 years in duration, the prevalence of work disability has been estimated at as high as 50 percent. However, most studies examining this costly effect of RA are well over a decade old. Since then, much has changed about the disease and the nature of work.