Extract
The quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has dramatically improved in the approximately two decades since biological agents were first introduced for its treatment [1]. However, whether current treatment strategies for RA have helped improve the prognosis of patients suffering from complications due to RA remains controversial. National data from the USA have shown that the mortality rate of RA-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD), a major complication associated with a poor prognosis in RA patients, seems to be gradually increasing, whereas the mortality rate of patients with any type of RA-associated disease has been decreasing [2].
Abstract
The rates of death due to RA-LD among deaths from any type of RA-related cause have been increasing in Japan. A large-scale study is required to explain this trend. http://bit.ly/2Ew8fhW
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: M. Yamasue has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: K. Komiya has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: O. Takahashi has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: J-i. Kadota has nothing to disclose.
- Received June 25, 2019.
- Accepted December 12, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2020
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