In a recent study published in a leading American journal, Arthritis and Rheumatism, researchers have identified many gaps in care of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients in the UAE as compared with Western countries. 

In the UAE, only 18 per cent of patients could achieve the goal of 'disease remission' as compared to 36-40 per cent in Western countries including the USA, Netherlands and Finland.

Remission is defined as the absence of clinical signs of inflammation such as red, swollen joints which are warm to the touch; joint pain and stiffness; and loss of joint function.

According to Dr Scott J Zashin, author of Arthritis Without Pain-The Miracle Of Anti-TNF Blockers, a very small percentage of patients may be able discontinue their arthritis medications, while over 95 per cent need to continue their medications to remain in remission.

Dr Zashin said: 'While there is no way to determine who will achieve remission with therapy, patients taking combination therapy are more likely to achieve remission than those taking either drug alone.

'The longer the disease remains in remission, the less likely it is to become active again.'

Patients in the UAE also had more severe disease as compared to other countries, based on disease activity scores.

The study was conducted in collaboration with Finland and USA and covered 5,848 patients in 67 sites over 24 countries, including the UAE as the only Arab country. 

The principal investigator for the UAE, Dr Humeira Badsha, Specialist Rheumatologist at the Dubai Bone and Joint Center, said that these figures are prevalent because of two main reasons. 

Firstly, patients have a delay in diagnosis of 18 months and a further delay of treatment of 12 months.

This is because patients do not think that there is an effective treatment available and there is a general lack of information about the disease.

Secondly, the best chance for 'disease remission' is use of a combination of medications including a new type called biological drugs.

Unfortunately, these medications are very expensive and most patients cannot afford them.

'Insurance companies cover this treatment in only 50 per cent of cases. In the USA, 40 per cent of patients with rheumatoid arthritis are receiving these drugs but our data reveals that only 5 per cent of UAE patients are getting them,' Dr Badsha adds.

Dr Badsha has been the principal investigator in various clinical trials of medications for RA in the UAE.

She has further conducted various research studies on Lupus and Autoimmune diseases and published several papers in leading journals. - TradeArabia News Service