What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic (whole body) disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally affects the thin, loose vascular connective tissue (synovial tissue) that makes up the membranes surrounding joints.

How do members experience rheumatoid arthritis?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with rheumatoid arthritis*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for rheumatoid arthritis*

*Data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with rheumatoid arthritis*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Apo-Methotrexate)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (4 evaluations)
Side effects
nausea
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (18)
Treatment

(Humira)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (12 evaluations)
Side effects
tension headache
Total evaluations
12
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (17)
Treatment

(Enbrel)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (11)
Treatment

(Orencia)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (3 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
3
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (10)
Treatment

(Arava)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (1 evaluation)
Side effects
diarrhea
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (9)

*Data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has rheumatoid arthritis on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 16
20s 240
30s 1,196
40s 3,220
50s 7,501
60s 9,698
70+ 5,637

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 2,698
Female 25,088

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What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic (whole body) disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally affects the thin, loose vascular connective tissue (synovial tissue) that makes up the membranes surrounding joints.



Common symptoms reported by people with rheumatoid arthritis

Common symptoms
How bad it is
What people are taking for it

Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.
Last updated:



Treatments taken by people for rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment name(s)
Type
How many have tried
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Apo-Methotrexate)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
14,160
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (18)
Treatment name(s)

(Humira)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
3,098
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (17)
Treatment name(s)

(Enbrel)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
2,941
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (11)
Treatment name(s)

(Orencia)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
1,313
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (10)
Treatment name(s)

(Arava)
Type
Prescription Drug
How many have tried
3,387
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (9)

Data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:


Compare treatments taken by people with rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment name(s)
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment name(s)

(Apo-Methotrexate)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (4 evaluations)
Side effects
nausea
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (18)
Treatment name(s)

(Humira)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (12 evaluations)
Side effects
tension headache
Total evaluations
12
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (17)
Treatment name(s)

(Enbrel)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (4 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
4
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (11)
Treatment name(s)

(Orencia)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (3 evaluations)
Side effects
Total evaluations
3
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (10)
Treatment name(s)

(Arava)
Perceived effectiveness
for rheumatoid arthritis (1 evaluation)
Side effects
diarrhea
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
rheumatoid arthritis (9)
  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
  • Severe
  • Moderate
  • Mild
  • None

Data from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.
Last updated:



Who has rheumatoid arthritis on PatientsLikeMe?

  • 26 new patients joined this month
  • 23,120 say rheumatoid arthritis is their primary condition

Age
Age Proportion # of patients
<20 16
20s 240
30s 1,196
40s 3,220
50s 7,501
60s 9,698
70+ 5,637
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom Proportion # of patients
0-19 years 1,076
20-29 years 1,282
30-39 years 2,127
40-49 years 2,189
50-59 years 1,182
60-69 years 304
70+ years 49

Distribution of sex

Sex
Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 2,698
Female 25,088

Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status Proportion # of patients
Diagnosed 10,286
Not Diagnosed 333

These charts show data from rheumatoid arthritis patients who have completed their condition history
Last updated: