Seek EARLY treatment for rheumatoid arthritis to prevent permanent damage

Eveline Gan

eveline@mediacorp.com.sg

MOST of us take daily activities such as getting out of bed and getting dressed in adults worldwide, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States.

There are no official figures on the prevalence of the disease in Singapore.

However, a recent local survey on 89 sufferers of this form of arthritis found that the condition can severely affect a person’s life.

Commissioned by the National Arthritis Foundation (NAF) of Singapore and supported by Abbott, the survey found that 63 per cent of RA sufferers have been forced to leave work, and more than a third (34 per cent) felt that they have suffered from depression as a result of their illness.

Almost half (49 per cent) of the respondents find it difficult to explain their condition to others, highlighting the need for greater awareness of RA.

Normally, the body’s immune system helps fight off harmful infections. In RA sufferers, their immune system starts to attack the ligaments and tendons around the joints as well as the cartilage and bones, explained Dr Koh Wei Howe, a rheumatologist and physician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

“This causes inflammation and swelling in the joints, leading to damage to the bone and joint,” he said.

It is not fully understood what exactly causes the condition, which is most common among those in their 40s and 50s.

However, Dr Koh said genes, infections and smoking are possible triggers.