ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects approximately 1% of the population. It is rarely life threatening in the short term, but, in the long term, RA and the side effects of therapy shorten life. RA causes significant disability. Of those who have the disease for more than 12 months, a majority will continue to have exacerbations for the rest of their lives, and about half of affected individuals are unable to work 10 years after contracting the disease. The associated economic costs are considerable, both to the individual and to the community. 1-3
