RNL 26 Report: Rheumatoid Arthritis Save
Audrey Gibson, PA-C, reports from RheumNow Live 2026 in Dallas, Texas about the session on rheumatoid arthritis.
Transcription
Hi everyone. I'm Audrey Gibson, a physician assistant from Gainesville, Georgia. I'm live in Dallas at RheumNow Live Meeting. We just finished up the morning session. One of the first sessions was titled Rheumatoid Arthritis: Achieving Better Outcomes.
The three presenters delivered three presentations that together tell a very clear story about rheumatoid arthritis, where the origins of RA may begin, how it affects long-term survival, and how we need to rethink treatment when the lungs are involved.
The first presentation focused on mortality and rheumatoid arthritis, delivered by Dr. Elena Misadova. Despite major advancements in RA treatment, patients with RA still experience significantly higher all-cause mortality compared with the general population. While cardiovascular mortality has improved since the early 2000s, the overall mortality gap has not completely closed, particularly among patients with younger onset disease and those who are seropositive. Respiratory related mortality has not shown the same consistent improvement over time. High disease activity, chronic inflammation, seropositivity, and extra-articular manifestations all independently contribute to excess mortality.
The takeaway message is that controlling joint symptoms alone is not enough. Long-term outcomes in RA are driven by systemic inflammation and extra-articular disease, especially with lung involvement. Stay tuned for more expert opinions.
The three presenters delivered three presentations that together tell a very clear story about rheumatoid arthritis, where the origins of RA may begin, how it affects long-term survival, and how we need to rethink treatment when the lungs are involved.
The first presentation focused on mortality and rheumatoid arthritis, delivered by Dr. Elena Misadova. Despite major advancements in RA treatment, patients with RA still experience significantly higher all-cause mortality compared with the general population. While cardiovascular mortality has improved since the early 2000s, the overall mortality gap has not completely closed, particularly among patients with younger onset disease and those who are seropositive. Respiratory related mortality has not shown the same consistent improvement over time. High disease activity, chronic inflammation, seropositivity, and extra-articular manifestations all independently contribute to excess mortality.
The takeaway message is that controlling joint symptoms alone is not enough. Long-term outcomes in RA are driven by systemic inflammation and extra-articular disease, especially with lung involvement. Stay tuned for more expert opinions.
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