Women who have early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) seem to experience functional
deterioration more rapidly than men according to a study in the Annals of
the Rheumatic Diseases.

Despite improvement in disease activity following medical treatment, more
women than men noticed a decrease in their functional abilities.

A Swedish team of researchers followed RA patients for 2 years. They measured
the extent of the disease using a variety of factors including range of motion,
walking time, and a grading system for well-being and pain. Patients were also
given a self-assessment to judge their ability to function. The research study
examined changes over time and differences between men and women.

Despite the fact that medication helped control joint damage in both genders,
women were unable to function as well as men after 1 to 2 years.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis, affecting
2.1 million Americans, mostly women, according to data from the Arthritis
Foundation. It is an autoimmune disease that involves the immune system
attacking joint tissue, which results in inflammation and permanent joint
damage.

The most common symptoms include inflammation of the joints, swelling,
difficulty moving and pain. Patients often experience pain and swelling of the
same joints on both sides of the body. It usually starts in the hands or feet.
Patients can also develop lumps or rheumatoid nodules under the skin.

It is important to get diagnosed early and to begin disease-modifying
anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), according to the researchers. Studies have shown
that if patients are treated early with this class of disease-modifying drugs,
their conditions can be controlled in many cases. The cause of rheumatoid
arthritis is not known.