Physical and mental disability is evident 8 years after diagnosis in early rheumatoid arthritis despite contemporary medication and non-pharmacological interventions

Despite improvements in our contemporarily treated TIRA-2 cohort, physical and mental disability was evident 8 years after diagnosis, especially among women. These results suggest a forthcoming need for person-centered non-pharmacological rehabilitation programs to optimize physical and mental function and to improve participation in daily life in RA. Also, the results highlight the need for developing new interventions directed at reducing disability. Key Points • Physical and mental disability is still considerable in contemporarily treated RA. • Interventions specifically aimed to reduce these disabilities need to be further developed. • Patients with severe disability need to be identified in clinical settings and offered person-centered rehabilitation.