Early rheumatoid arthritis: focus on RA in the developing world

Figures & data

Table 1: Recommendations for the management of RA in developing countries

• Public education • Training primary health care workers in the diagnosis of RA • Educating medical practitioners on the safe use of csDMARDs • Establishment of early arthritis clinics • Rapid escalation of therapy to achieve low disease activity within 3–6 months • Consider combinations of non-biologic DMARDs • Biologic DMARDs for well-selected refractory cases

Table 2: Features supporting the early diagnosis of RA

• Morning stiffness > 30 minutes • Symmetrical disease • Involvement of small joints of the MCP and MTP joints • Family history of RA • Elevated acute phase response (ESR/CRP)