Prognosis

By Teresa Kaldis, MD

It is difficult to predict the course of rheumatoid arthritis in a given individual. Early treatment helps most people maintain a long productive life. It is estimated that 1 in 10 persons will become severely disabled. On very rare occasions, rheumatoid arthritis may spontaneously resolve. Some factors are associated with a more aggressive disease course, like high rheumatoid factor, HLA-DR4, being male, and active disease for more than two years. Patient with rheumatoid arthritis may have a shorter lifespan due to heart disease, but most have a normal lifespan.