One person in one hundred suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis in Arab Countries

The main objectives of the 3-day conference were to raise awareness on the burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis, discuss early treatment approaches and update the summit members on the latest efficacy and safety data of biologic treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Wyeth pharmaceuticals, organizers of the summit, sponsored approximately 100 rheumatologists from across the Middle East region.

The meeting included a series of hands-on workshops on the role of biological treatments in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis and Psoriatic Arthritis.

RA affects one person in a hundred in the Middle East and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) worldwide prevalence was estimated at more than 20 million people in 2004. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among adults with a staggering economic burden due to the high rate of indirect costs from work disability.

Dr. Ayman Mofty, Arthritis & Rheumatism Specialist at American Hospital Dubai said, "RA is a major disease crippling our society and continues to have a serious impact on the quality of life of sufferers across the Middle East. This meeting will raise the awareness and re-enforce the fact that living successfully with RA begins with education."

The summit provided recommendations on the diagnosis and evaluation of RA patients and Dr. Mofty said, "The success of treating a RA patient relies on early diagnosis and evaluation. Early effective treatment may not only postpone and slow disease progression, thereby improving quality of life, but also decrease costs by preserving productivity and reducing the need for surgery. Assessment tools and treatment guidelines are essential to ensure that RA patients continue to receive the best treatment."

The meeting paid particular emphasis to a lesser-understood arthritic condition, ankylosing spondilitis (AS). Dr. Mofty added, "This condition, which when left undiagnosed can lead to serious spinal problems in adult life is particularly prevalent among the older population, but there is a sudden increase in the number of children suffering from this serious bone condition."

Dr. Mofty, examined achieving the ultimate treatment goal of remission, and adds, "The treatment of RA has changed considerably within the past decade, moving from a conservative approach designed to control clinical symptoms to a more aggressive approach designed to limit joint destruction. Biological medications such as Enbrel (etanercept) in combination with other treatments have been particularly successful in achieving this goal."

The summit coincided with new clinical data from key clinical trials emphasis that 50% of Rheumatoid Arthritis patients achieve remission when treated early with etanercept.